1347.773
ADMI
1999
C.2
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
ILLINOIS COURTS
NOV 0 2 2000
Ol&STATE LIBRARY
ADMINISTRATIVE
SUMMARY
I1
CONTENTS
Letter of Transmittal 1
A Message from the Chief Justice 2-3
Annual Report of the Chief Justice
to the Ninety-First General Assembly 4-7
Court Funding 8-9
Court Operations 10-11
The Justices of the Supreme Court 12-13
Supreme Court Support Staff 14
Supreme Court Committees 15
Judicial Conference Committee
Activities 16-17
Appellate Court 18-23
Circuit Courts 24-39
Administrative Office 40-43
Front Cover: Supreme Court Building, Springfield. The building was designed by W. Carbys Zimmerman, who at the time served
as State Architect. The building was erected at a cost of $450,000. Chief Justice John P. Hand accepted the keys to the building
on February 4, 1908.
Printed by Authority of the State of Illinois
P.O. #PRT 3143120 - 1,800 - 6/00
Letter of Transmittal
It is my pleasure to transmit the 1999 Annual Report of the Illinois Courts. The report highlights
the activities of Illinois' judicial system during the 1999 calendar year. Presented within these
pages is information on court funding and operations, as well as statistical data on caseloads in
the supreme, appellate and circuit courts. As is apparent from this report, 1999 was a year of
tremendous advance for Illinois' judicial system.
The Administrative Office is indebted to the clerks of the supreme, appellate and circuit courts
for their assistance in providing the statistical data provided herein. My many thanks to all of
those whose efforts made possible the preparation of this publication.
Sincerely,
Joseph A. Schillaci, Director
Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
iiifB?ilifiAifiiiiBRARY
3 1129 009579541
A MESSAGE FROM
As Chief Justice, it is my privilege to offer the 1999 Annual Report of the Illinois Courts. The
Report provides a summary of some of the more significant initiatives undertaken by the Supreme
Court, the work of the Illinois Judicial Conference, a description of the Court's several committees,
an overview of the funding and operations of the judicial system, as well as a brief description of the
various divisions of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts.
Essential to the efficient operation of Illinois' judicial system is a properly functioning
administrative component. The Administrative Office, which functions as an arm of the Supreme
Court, is charged with implementation of the Court's several projects and initiatives. Under the
direction of Joseph A. Schillaci, the Administrative Office provides administrative and technical
support to all three levels of Illinois courts and serves as liaison to the Court's various committees.
The divisions of the Administrative Office, which are described herein, include the Executive Office,
Administrative Services, Court Services, Judicial Education, Judicial Management Information
Services and Probation Services.
This year continued the previous years' trend of improving the administration of Illinois' court
system. The committees of the Judicial Conference were involved in a diverse range of projects.
Some of the more significant contributions made by the Committees included ( 1 ) establishing a task
force to study the feasibility of developing uniform rules and procedures for family law mediation;
(2) continuing support for the planned judicial branch web site, which will be a source of general
court information to members of the legal community as well as the general public; (3) reviewing
community corrections programs as an alternative to incarceration of non- violent offenders; (4)
conducting an in-depth study of the use of discovery depositions in Illinois; (6) updating the Illinois
Manuals for Complex Civil and Criminal Litigation; and (7) rewriting the Juvenile Law Benchbook.
Since the Court's 1999 approval of the Comprehensive Judicial Education Plan, educational
programming has been a major focus. The multi-faceted Education Plan provides for a minimum
number of education seminars, to be held annually, and outlines new judicial education formats.
Included in the plan are the Advanced Judicial Academy, essentially a summer school program for
judges which will be held on the University of Illinois-Champaign campus, and the reinstatement
of education conferences, which are designed to provide a forum for all Illinois judges to meet,
attend seminars on substantive areas of the law, and exchange information and ideas. Existing
education programs such as the New Judge Seminar, the New Judge Mentoring Program, regional
seminars and the Resource Lending Library continue to be enhanced.
The Court continued to expand on its endeavor to provide a record of trial court proceedings using
both official court reporters and digital recording equipment. In May, the Court filed Administrative
Order M.R. 1 5956 with the purpose of establishing a framework for this initiative. Court reporting
services activities in 1 999 required that the Administrative Office ( 1 ) conduct site visits to circuits,
THE CHIEF JUSTICE
(2) evaluate electronic court reporting vendors and systems, (3) oversee the installation of digital
electronic recording systems in DuPage (15 courtrooms), Saline (2 courtrooms), Randolph (2
courtrooms), and Jersey (1 courtroom) counties, and (4) monitor the operation of installed systems
for quality control.
Recognizing the need to provide and maintain adequate facilities for the state's reviewing courts,
the Court directed the coordination of the repair and renovation of state owned court facilities. These
facilities include the Supreme Court Building in Springfield, the three courthouses of the Second,
Third, and Fifth Appellate Districts, and the Waterways Building in Springfield, which is being
renovated for use by the Fourth District Appellate Court. These efforts incorporated the need for
public access, aesthetics, historic preservation, and modern functionality.
As of January 1 , 1 999, the Juvenile Justice Reform Provisions of 1 998 (Public Act 90-590) became
effective. The philosophy of these reforms is to establish a balanced and restorative justice approach
to dealing with the problem of juvenile crime. For circuit level probation staff, the Act changes the
traditional focus from offender case management to one that promotes partnerships with local
communities to address public safety concerns, appropriate sanctions, and youth competency
development. To implement this new model, extensive training and technical assistance was
provided. Additionally, funding resources were appropriated for the expansion of juvenile probation
and detention programs prioritized by the reform provisions.
After successful completion of an aggressive Year 2000 project (Y2K), the Court directed that
efforts be continued to integrate technology into the judiciary's regular operations and procedures.
Projects were initiated to improve the overall communication within the courts. In addition to using
a private electronic mail system, options for a document management system, which will allow the
Court to exchange judicial opinions and other court documents, began to be explored. To further
support the Court's goal of improving the flow of information, a judicial branch web site was created
and is now in the final stages of development.
I invite you to review the work of the Illinois courts as described in this Report. As a final note,
I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Administrative Office, to the members of each
committee, and to all of those persons who participated in the planning and implementation of the
many projects and programs which served to improve the administration of justice in Illinois
throughout 1999.
Moses W. Harrison II
Chief Justice
1999 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE
January 25, 2000
Honorable Michael J. Madigan Honorable James "Pate" Philip
Speaker of the House President of the Senate
House of Representatives State Senate
Honorable Lee A. Daniels Honorable Emil Jones Jr.
Republican Leader Democratic Leader
House of Representatives State Senate
Gentlemen:
Attached is the Supreme Court's Annual Report to the General Assembly. The Report is submitted in
accordance with Article VI, section 17 of the Illinois Constitution of 1970 which provides that "[t]he
Supreme Court shall provide by rule for an annual judicial conference to consider the work of the courts
and to suggest improvements in the administration of justice and shall report thereon annually in writing
to the General Assembly." Consistent with section 17, this Report includes a summary of the work of
the several committees which make up the Illinois Judicial Conference.
The Committees of the Judicial Conference include (1) Alternation Dispute Resolution, (2) Automation
and Technology, (3) Criminal Law and Probation Administration, (4) Discovery Procedures, (5)
Education, (6) Study Committee on Complex Litigation, and (7) Study Committee on Juvenile Justice.
On September 8, 1999, the Conference was convened to receive the committees' reports and
recommendations. The reports revealed a conference year marked by substantial achievement. This
Annual Report summarizes those achievements, and includes a forecast of some new and
complementary initiatives for conference year 2000.
On behalf of the Court, I respectfully submit the Supreme Court's 1999 Annual Report to the General
Assembly.
Sincerely,
Moses W. Harrison II
Chief Justice
Supreme Court of Illinois
NINETY-SECOND ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1999 Illinois Judicial Conference The 46th annual meeting of the Illinois Judicial Conference convened on
September 8th and 9th in Chicago. The Conference is supervised by the Executive Committee of which the Chief
Justice serves as Chairman. The members of the conference include the Supreme Court Justices; the chairman of
the Executive committee of the Appellate court, First Judicial District; the presiding justices of the appellate court in
the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Districts; and at least twenty-two associate judges, five chief circuit judges, and
other circuit and appellate court judges from throughout the State. These judges comprise the membership of the
seven Judicial Conference Committees: Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinating Committee, Automation and
Technology Committee, Committee on Criminal Law and Probation Administration, Committee on Discovery
Procedures, Committee on Education, Study Committee on Complex Litigation, and the Study Committee on Juvenile
Justice.
The 1999 Conference commenced on September 8th with meetings of the various committees. The Hon.
Charles E. Freeman delivered the Chief Justice's annual message to the more than 80 judges attending from
throughout the state, praising them for their public service and dedication to improving the administration of justice
in Illinois. At the September 9th plenary session, the Committees presented their annual reports, made
recommendations, and discussed their anticipated initiatives for 2000. The reports reveal a diverseness of projects
ranging from those which are self-initiated and developed by the Committees themselves to those initiated in response
to inquiries posed by other Committees or by the Court. The following information summarizes the content of those
reports.
Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinating Committee The Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinating
Committee is charged with evaluating, monitoring, studying and making recommendations regarding the use of dispute
resolution programs. The Committee favors a proactive approach to litigation and continually explores resolution
options for specialized types of cases. During the 1999 conference year, the Committee met with arbitration
managers and their supervising judges to discuss topics related to arbitration practice. In response to its review of
Supreme Court Rule 87(d)'s requirement that arbitrators file an oath for each case heard, the Committee drafted a
proposed amendment to that rule that would allow circuits to determine the procedures for filing those oaths. The
Committee also monitored the court-annexed mandatory arbitration programs currently operating in eleven counties.
In the area of mediation, the Committee continued to oversee the court-sponsored pilot major civil case
mediation programs operating in six circuits. More than 1000 cases have been disposed of through these programs.
The Committee's establishment of a task force to study the feasibility of developing uniform rules and procedures for
family law mediation is another example of the Committee's progressive approach to dispute resolution.
In addition, the Committee has proposed to the Judicial
conference Committee on Education that a course on alternative
dispute resolution be offered at Education Conference 2000, with
the Alternative Dispute Resolution committee providing any needed
technical support. The Committee also commenced its work on a
survey designed to elicit information on the numerous court-
sponsored alternate dispute resolution across the state.
Automation and Technology Committee The
Automation and Technology committee is charged with evaluating,
monitoring, coordinating and making recommendations for new
and improved technological applications available to the courts in
order to effectuate greater efficiency and lower operating costs
upon the judicial system. Among its initiatives which progressed
during the past Conference year, the Committee assisted the
Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) in preparing a
summary of its report on optical imagery as a means for document
"The Supreme Court shall provide by rule for
an annual judicial conference to consider the
work of the courts and to suggest
improvements in the administration of justice
and shall report thereon annually in writing
to the General Assembly not later than
January 31." Article VI, Section 17, Illinois
Constitution.
storage. This advancement will represent a tremendous technical achievement for the judiciary.
On the Committee's recommendation last year, the Court approved the Administrative Office to pursue
the development of a Judicial Branch web site. With the Committee's technical and creative assistance, the
web site is near completion and will be. a ready source of general Court information to members of the legal
community as well as the general public. The site will link the Judicial Branch to other governmental agency
sites and will undoubtedly evolve into one of the primary sources of Court-related information. The Committee
announced that it will further participate in the completion of the site in the year 2000, as well as monitor
technological advances which may be of benefit to the judiciary. In addition, the Committee continued to
monitor legislation surrounding the Electronic Commerce and Security Act, effective July 1, 1999, as well as
other acts which could affect court technology.
Criminal Law and Probation Administration The Committee on Criminal Law and Probation
Administration is charged with providing recommendations on matters affecting the administration of criminal
justice and the probation system. During the 1999 Conference year, the Committee continued its review of
community corrections issues. Noting that it strongly favors community corrections as an alternative to
incarceration of non-violent offenders, the Committee emphasized that sentencing alternatives focused on
treatment and rehabilitation would be a less expensive and more effective means of dealing with many non-
violent offenders. In a cooperative effort with the Conference of Chief Circuit Judges, the Committee reviewed
the Report on Community Corrections issued by the Committee on Probation of the Conference of Chief
Judges, which proposes to implement a community based corrections concept as an alternative to
incarceration of non-violent offenders in Illinois. The Committee agreed with the proposed Illinois Community
Corrections Model in concept, but would recommend a number of changes.
Along with this issue, the Committee also considered whether mandatory supervised release (parole)
should be included in the community corrections proposal. The Committee concluded that, while probation
departments are well positioned to provide better supervision of parolees than is currently available, probation
department supervision of parolees is not a viable alternative unless adequate funding is available.
In 1 999, The Supreme Court issued opinions in People v. Fitzgibbon (1998), 184 III. 2d 320, and People
v. Under (1999), 186 III. 2d 67. Both cases addressed the requirements of trial counsel in the context of
Supreme Court Rule 604(d) guilty pleas. The Committee considered whether, in light of the Court's rulings
in those cases, Rule 604(d) required modification. At the Conference, the Committee presented its
recommendation that Rule 604(d) be amended. As an additional initiative, the Committee announced that it
has undertaken the task of reviewing the entire body of criminal law and procedure to determine whether any
statutes require revision or reorganization.
Committee on Discovery Procedures The charge of the Committee on Discovery Procedures is
to monitor and evaluate discovery devices used in Illinois and to investigate and make recommendations on
innovative means of expediting pretrial discovery and ending any abuses of the discovery process. During
the 1999 Conference year, the Committee conducted an in-depth study of the use of and possible elimination
of discovery depositions in Illinois. After research and discussions with various bar associations, the
Committee concluded that as discovery depositions encourage free and open discovery and facilitate
settlement between parties, discovery depositions should be maintained.
The Committee received and began studying several other discovery-related proposals including
broadening the use of discovery depositions, limiting the deposition fees of physicians, and reviewing problems
associated with varius interpretations of the Supreme Court Rule 213 relating to statements of opinion
witnesses. The Committee's 1998 proposal to amend Supreme Court Rule 206, which allows parties in a case
to take depositions by telephone or by some other electronic means, received favorable commentary at public
hearing in 1999. The Committee has now embarked on a plan to review the whole of the discovery rules.
Committee on Education Judicial education is essential to the maintenance of an adept judiciary and
the need for an effective and efficient approach to judicial education cannot be overstated. In January 1999,
the Court approved the Committee's submission of a Comprehensive Judicial Education Plan, which is one
of the most progressive approaches to judicial education in the country. The comprehensive Plan sets the minimum
number of seminars to be held annually and reinstates the large conference format for judicial education in Illinois.
The first of these large education conferences, "Education 2000," will be held in February and March. The Plan also
outlines new judicial education formats approved for study and possible implementation, including a "Summer School
for Judges" and use of new technologies to facilitate distance education.
During the 1999 Conference year, the Committee conducted a New Judge Seminar, eight regional seminars,
six mini-seminars, two court management programs, and a faculty development seminar. Seminar attendance was
up substantially for the 1 998 to 1 999 period - indicating not only the quality of the plan, but also a stronger emphasis
on the value of continuing judicial education. The Committee sponsored a number of special projects, including a
special seminar to train judges to serve as mentors in the New Judge Mentoring Program and implementation of the
final phase of the personal computer education program.
The Committee also sponsors the Resource Lending Library, which continues to be a valuable resource for
judges. The Library, which is managed by the AOIC, houses a wealth of seminar reading materials, including video
tapes, audio tapes, manuals, and other publications of interest to the judiciary. In fiscal year 1 999 alone, 508 judges
requested one or more items from the Library.
Study Committee on Complex Litigation The charge of the Study Committee on Complex Litigation is to
study, make recommendations, and disseminate information on successful practices for managing complex litigation.
During the 1999 Conference year, the Committee produced a second update to the third edition of the Illinois Manual
for Complex Civil Litigation which addressed recent changes in the law. The 1999 update discusses the impact of
River Park, Inc. v. City of Highland Park, 184 III. 2d 290 (1998) and People ex rel. Birkett v. City of Chicago, 184 III.
2d 521 (1998) on complex civil litigation in the Illinois courts. Over 200 judges have received copies of the manual
which has been used as the basic reading material for a regional educational seminar on complex litigation. The
Committee also updated the Illinois Manual for Complex Criminal Litigation, adding discussion of case law
developments in the criminal law field over the previous two years. These volumes are both available in the Resource
Lending Library sponsored by the Committee on Education. The Committee has contemplated an addition to the civil
manual which would discuss judicial management of complex environmental litigation.
Study Committee on Juvenile Justice The Study Committee on Juvenile Justice continues its commitment
to examine and make recommendations on aspects of the juvenile justice system, propose education and training
programs forjudges, and prepare and update the juvenile law benchbook. On January 1, 1999, the new Juvenile
Reform Provisions of 1999, P. A. 90-590, became effective, ushering in the most significant statutory changes in the
area of delinquency law in years. Due to the statutory changes, the Committee began the process of rewriting the
juvenile law benchbook, the purpose of which is to provide judges at all experience levels with a comprehensive and
easily accessible reference guide. In order to incorporate the statutory changes, the Committee decided to split the
juvenile law benchbook into two volumes- devoting one volume to the area of delinquency and one volume to the
areas of abuse, addiction, neglect and dependency. The Committee completed the drafting of volume one during the
1999 Conference year.
In 1999, the Committee continued its
commitment to educating Illinois judges on juvenile law
issues by offering recommendations for judicial
education programs to meet the demand for additional
education concerning the increased complexity of the
juvenile law issues. Several Committee members
contributed to and served on the faculty of the March
1999 Juvenile Regional Seminar which focused on
abuse and neglect. The Committee also assisted the
Committee on Education by providing information on the
statutory changes for use at seminars.
STATE AND LOCAL FUNDING FOR THE COURTS
Financing the state court system is a shared responsibility of the state and the 102 counties of the state. Revenue
to provide court services to the people of the state comes from a variety of sources: the state income tax, county property
taxes, case filing fees, court-imposed fines and assessments, and other fees.
State government pays for the salaries, benefits, and
office expenses of supreme and appellate court
judges, and salaries and benefits of circuit court judges.
Effective July 1, 1999, judicial salaries, as determined
by the legislature, were: supreme court justices,
$ 1 47,024; appellate court judges, $ 1 38,376; circuit court
judges, $126,978; and associate judges, $1 18,330. The
state also pays for support staff of supreme and appellate
court judges, staff in other units of the supreme and
appellate courts, court reporters and a small number of
other personnel in the circuit courts, and mandatory
arbitration staff in several counties. Part of the cost of
operating the mandatory arbitration program is offset by
fees paid by participants in the program. During 1999,
the arbitration filing and rejection fees collected
amounted to $5,974,1 16.
State funding for probation departments currently
covers approximately 2,900 probation personnel.
Counties are reimbursed for all salaries of
approximately half of this number, with the rest
reimbursed at the rate of $1,000 per month. At the
present time, state funding provides for about 35% of
the total cost of probation services in the state.
County governments pay part of the cost of financing
circuit court operations. Counties provide office
and courtroom space, maintenance, and support staff to
assist the circuit court judges. Circuit clerks collect
money to help pay for their operations and some court
operations. They also collect and disburse revenues to
help fund local and state government programs, as
summarized on the next page.
STATE FUNDING
The pie chart below shows the supreme court's share of the total appropriations for fiscal year 2000 (July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2000).
The total appropriation was $42,973,049,200. The appropriation for the courts was $276,631,900.
Appropriations for State Agencies
Fiscal Year 2000
Executive Agencies 62.24%
Elected Officials 2.88%
Courts 0.64%
Other Agencies 10.46%
Legislative Agencies 0.19%
Education 23.59%
Source: Table I-A: Appropriations by Agency, Chapter 1 1
Governor's Budget Message to the General Assembly for Fiscal Year 2001
8
LOCAL FUNDING
The circuit clerk's office in each county provides a variety of court recordkeeping and financial accounting services. Circuit
clerks are elected for four- year terms by the voters in each county. Circuit clerks, with help from deputy clerks, attend sessions
of the court, preserve court files and papers, and maintain complete records of all cases. Employees of the clerks' offices are
appointed by and are accountable to the circuit clerk, with the county board having budgetary authority. During 1999, the total
number of full-time employees in all 102 circuit clerk offices was 3,658, assisted by a total of 384 part-time employees. The cost
of operating all circuit clerks' offices totaled $146,705,862 in 1999.
Revenue to pay for these court-related services comes primarily from property taxes, filing fees, and court-ordered fines and
costs. Fines, fees and other costs collected by circuit clerks are governed primarily by statute and supreme court rule.
REVENUE TO FINANCE LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS
Fees and court-ordered fines were collected in 1999 by circuit clerks and earmarked for improvements in the clerks' offices
and to help defray the cost to the county of operating the courts at the local level.
Court Document
Storage Fund
is used for any costs
relative to the storage of
court records.
$10,742,429
Court Automation
Fund
is used to establish and
maintain automated
systems for keeping court
records.
312,151,214
County Law Library
Fund
helps defray the costs of
maintaining a law library
in the county for judges,
attorneys, and the public.
$5,150,920
County Fund To
Finance the Court
System
is available from fees
collected by circuit clerks
to help finance the court
system in the county.
$8,368,916
UNCOLLECTED CLAIMS
The Administrative Office, the Supreme Court Clerk, the Supreme Court Library, and the Clerks of the five
Appellate Districts are responsible for collecting certain fees. Outstanding accounts receivable are normally collected
by the unit to which the account is owed. Additionally, a small number of accounts receivable are turned over to private
collection agencies and the State Comptroller's offset system. At the end of FY 99, there were 240 claims due and
payable, totaling $12,000.
REVENUE TO FINANCE OTHER PROGRAMS
In addition to collecting fees for local improvements, circuit clerks receive, account for, and distribute millions of dollars
to county governments, various local governmental entities, and various state funds. Some of the programs and dollars collected
in 1999 by circuit clerks are listed below:
Drug Treatment Fund: Court-ordered drug assessments are used to pay for treatment programs for people addicted to alcohol, cannabis, or
controlled substances. $2,816,706
Violent Crime Victims Assistance: Court-ordered penalties in criminal and certain traffic cases are used to support victim and witness
assistance centers throughout the state. $5,991,799
Trauma Center Fund: Fees collected in certain traffic, DTJI, and criminal cases are used to
support Illinois hospitals that are designated as trauma centers. $4,158,964
Traffic and Criminal Conviction Surcharge: An additional penalty imposed in traffic and
criminal cases is used for training of law enforcement and correctional officers. $9,707,731
Drivers Education Fund: Penalties and forfeitures in offenses reportable to the Secretary of
State are used for driver education programs in high schools. $4,183,439
Child Support and Maintenance
During 1999, circuit clerks collected
and distributed $593,767,992 for child
support and maintenance.
The path a case may follow in
the process from start to finish
can be complicated. The
diagram below demonstrates,
in general terms, how cases
proceed through the state
court system.
SUPREME COURT
certain cases from appellate
court or circuit courts
review of death sentences
3,231 new cases filed in 1999
APPELLATE COURT
five districts
appeals from circuits and
industrial commission
may review cases from
administrative agencies
8,903 new cases filed in 1999
CASEFLOW
y llinois has had a unified court system since 1964. In that year,
iJ voters approved an amendment to the 1870 constitution which
made major changes in the system.
Prior to 1 964, the court system was fragmented. The courts
of original jurisdiction had some concurrent and overlapping
jurisdiction, and each court operated independently of the others. The
old system had a circuit court with statewide original jurisdiction in
all cases and some appellate jurisdiction; a Superior Court of Cook
County having concurrent jurisdiction with the Circuit Court of Cook
County; the Criminal Court of Cook County also having concurrent
jurisdiction with the Circuit Court of Cook County but limited to
criminal cases; a county court in each county with special jurisdiction
that partially overlapped that of the circuit court; a probate court in
certain counties with special jurisdiction; statutory municipal, city,
town and village courts, with jurisdiction overlapping that of the
circuit court; and justice of the peace and police magistrate courts with
limited jurisdiction.
By 1962, Cook County alone had 208 courts: circuit court,
superior court, family court, criminal court, probate court, county
court, twenty-four city, village, town and municipal courts, seventy-
five justice of the peace courts, and 103 police magistrate courts.
In addition, there were seven supreme court districts
numbered from south to north and four appellate court districts
numbered from north to south. For example, the first supreme court
district was in a part of the fourth appellate court district and the
seventh supreme court district was in a part of the first appellate court
district.
CIRCUIT COURT
22 circuits for 102 counties
1 to 12 counties per circuit
hears most cases
may review cases from
administrative agencies
4.2 million new cases filed in
1999
CIRCUIT CLERK
one clerk per county (102)
cases enter the court system
in this office
court's official record keeper
collects fines, fees, and
costs, distributing all amounts
to various agencies
ARBITRATION PANELS
panels of 3 attorneys - impartial
finders of fact and law
law suits of $15,000 or less in
St. Clair County; $30,000 or
less in Boone, Cook, Ford,
Kane, Lake, McLean, McHenry,
Will, and Winnebago Counties;
and $50,000 or less in Du Page
County
I
n today's system, as shown on
the left, there are three levels
of courts: circuit, appellate, and
supreme, all operating within
clearly defined geographical
boundaries. The circuit court is a
court of original jurisdiction
which is divided into twenty-two
circuits. Each circuit is located in
\^ / one of five appellate court
districts. Cases enter circuit court
via the circuit clerk's office in a county of the circuit. Cases may be
appealed to the appellate court in the district containing the circuit
court, or, in certain circumstances, directly to the supreme court.
After an appellate court decision, parties to the case may seek
discretionary review by the supreme court. Supreme and appellate
district and circuit maps are found in their respective sections of this
publication.
10
JUDICIAL BRANCH ADMINISTRATION
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Illinois, in addition to being the state's highest
court, is responsible for the state's unified trial court, one appellate court with five
districts, and several supporting units. General administrative and supervisory
authority over the court system is vested in the supreme court. Several advisory
bodies assist with this mission by making recommendations to the court. These
include the Judicial Conference of Illinois and the various committees of the court.
More information about committees can be found in the following sections. The
supreme court also makes appointments to other committees, commissions, and
boards as listed at the right.
The chief justice is responsible for exercising the court's general
administrative and supervisory authority in accordance with the court's rules. The
supreme court appoints an administrative director to assist the chief justice in his
duties. The staff of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts support this
function.
Key support personnel exist at each level of the court to assist judges with
the administration of justice. At the supreme court level, this includes the clerk of
the supreme court, research director, marshal, and supreme court librarian and their
staffs. Each support unit is described on page ten.
Appellate Court
At the appellate court level, the presiding judge and judges of each
appellate district are assisted by a clerk of the appellate court and research director
and their staffs appointed by the appellate judges. Appeals enter the clerk's office,
where deputy clerks assign them filing schedules and actively monitor and review
cases as they progress through record preparation, motions, briefing, and oral
arguments. Problems suchas late filings, jurisdictional defects, inadequate records
or noncompliant briefs are referred to the court. After the court has heard an
appeal, the clerk's office issues the court's decision and tracks all post-decision
activity. The court also manages the court's computerized and manual
recordkeeping systems and oversees the maintenance of physical facilities. The
clerk responds to requests and questions concerning the court's cases and
procedures. The research director oversees a staff of attorneys and secretaries
providing centralized legal research services to judges.
Circuit Court
Each circuit is administered by a chief judge who is selected by the circuit
court judges of the circuit. The chief judge is assisted by an administrative assistant
and/or trial court administrator and other support staff. The number of counties in
each circuit currently ranges from one to twelve. In each county, voters elect a
circuit clerk for a four-year term. Circuit clerks, with help from deputy clerks
hired by the circuit clerk, attend sessions of the court, preserve court files and
papers, maintain complete records of all cases, and maintain records of money
received and disbursed.
Judicial Inquiry Board
The supreme court appoints two circuit judges
to the board (the governor also appoints four
non-lawyers and three lawyers) which
receives and investigates complaints against
judges and prosecutes the validated complaint
before the Illinois Courts Commission.
Illinois Courts Commission
The commission consists of a supreme court
justice, two circuit judges selected by the
supreme court, two appellate court judges
selected by the appellate court, and two
citizen members selected by the governor.
The commission hears complaints brought by
the Judicial Inquiry Board and can discipline a
judge or remove a judge from office.
Board of Admissions to the Bar
The supreme court establishes rules and
standards for the education, testing, and
admission of law school graduates to the
practice of law in the state and appoints seven
attorneys to sit on the board. The board
oversees the process of admitting law school
graduates to the practice of law.
Committee on Character and Fitness
The supreme court appoints attorneys to a
committee in each of the five judicial districts
to evaluate the moral character and general
fitness of applicants to practice law.
Attorney Registration and Disciplinary
Commission
The supreme court establishes rules for the
registration and discipline of attorneys and
appoints four lawyers and three nonlawyers to
the commission which oversees the
registration and disciplinary process.
State Appellate Defender
The supreme court appoints the State
Appellate Defender and two members of the
State Appellate Defender Commission. Each
appellate court district appoints one member
to the Commission (the governor appoints two
members).
Board of Trustees of the Judges
Retirement System
The supreme court appoints three judges to
the Board of Trustees of the Judges
Retirement System and the chief justice is an
ex-officio member (as is the state treasurer).
11
THE JUSTICES OF
Courtroom of the Illinois Supreme Court
Springfield
Charles E. Freeman
Chief Justice
Benjamin K. Miller
Justice Miller received a Juris Doctor degree from Vanderbilt University in
Nashville, Tennessee. He was in the private practice of law from 1961-1976. In
1976, he was appointed a circuit judge in the seventh circuit by the supreme court
and was elected to that position in 1978. He served as circuit judge and chief
circuit judge until 1 982, when he was elected to the appellate court, fourth district.
He served on the appellate court until 1984, when he was elected to the supreme
court, serving as chief justice from January 1, 1991 until the end of 1993.
( \
James D. Heiple
Justice Heiple received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Louisville,
Kentucky. After graduating from law school, he joined his father and brother in
the family law firm. From 1 957 to 1 970, he engaged in the general practice of law
with offices in Washington and Pekin. During this time, he also served as an
appellate law clerk, a public defender, and a special master in chancery. He was
elected a circuit judge in the tenth circuit in 1970. In 1980, he was elected to the
appellate court, third district. He was elected to the supreme court in 1990 and
served as chief justice from January to May of 1997.
Mary Ann G.
McMorrow
Justice McMorrow received her law degree from Loyola University, Chicago.
Prior to being elected a circuit judge in Cook County in 1 976, she was engaged in
the private practice of law and later appointed an assistant state's attorney of Cook
County, assigned to the criminal division. She was assigned to the appellate court
for the first district by the supreme court in 1985 and won election to that post in
1986. She was elected to the supreme court in 1992, the first woman to serve on
the state's highest court.
12
THE SUPREME COURT
Chief Justice Freeman received a Juris Doctor degree from
John Marshall Law School. Early in his career he served
as an assistant attorney general, assistant state's attorney,
and an attorney for the Board of Election Commissioners.
He served as a commissioner on the Illinois Commerce
Commission from 1973 to 1976. He was in the private
practice of law from 1962 to 1976. In 1976, he was elected
a circuit judge in Cook County where he served for ten
years. He was elected to the appellate court in 1 986 and to
the supreme court in 1 990 from the first district. Justice
Freeman is the first African-American to serve on the
supreme court.
The supreme court is the state's highest
court; it also supervises and administers
the state's judicial system. The state is
divided into five judicial districts, with
three justices elected from the first district
(Cook County) and one justice elected from
each of the other four districts. Justices are
elected in partisan elections for ten years
and may be retained in office for additional
terms often years. A chief justice is elected
by the other justices for a term of three
years.
Justice Bilandic received a Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University College of
Law. Prior to becoming a member of the Chicago City Council in 1 969, he was in
the private practice of law. He served as a council member until 1976, when he
was elected Mayor of the City of Chicago. He is a former master in chancery,
Circuit Court of Cook County, and a former Special Assistant Illinois Attorney
General. He was elected to the appellate court for the first district in 1984, where
he served until his election to the supreme court in 1 990. He served as chief justice
from January 1, 1994 to December 31, 1996.
Michael A. Bilandic
Justice Harrison received his LL.B degree from Washington University, St. Louis,
Missouri. He was engaged in the private practice of law until he was appointed by
the supreme court in 1973 as a circuit judge in the third circuit. He was elected to
that position in 1974. In 1979, the supreme court assigned him to the appellate
court, fifth district and he was elected to that court in 1 980. In 1 992, he was elected
to the supreme court from the fifth district.
Moses W. Harrison II
Justice Rathje received his Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University
College of Law. He was engaged in the practice of law for over twenty-eight years,
twenty-two years of which he was a partner with the firm of Rathje, Woodward,
Dyer and Burt. He was elected to the circuit court for the eighteenth circuit in 1 992
and served until 1994; he was then elected to the appellate court for the second
district in 1994 until he was selected in 1999 to complete the term of Justice John
L. Nickels.
13
> : <"*) #** '' 3
S. Louis Rathje
SUPPORT STAFF
SUPREME COURT
DIRECTORY
Springfield (62701)
Supreme Court Building
Area Code 217
TDD 524-8132
Clerk 782-2035
Librarian 782-2424
Marshal 782-7821
Chicago (60601)
State of Illinois Building
160 North LaSalle Street
Area Code 312
TDD 793-6185
Clerk
793-1332
Bloomington (61702)
P. O. Box 3456
Area Code 309
Reporter of Decisions
827-8513
FAX 828-4651
There are several support units which assist the supreme court with its
work as the state's highest court. These units are located in Springfield,
Bloomington, and Chicago.
Clerk of the Supreme Court. The clerk of the supreme court directs a
staff of deputies who process cases according to court rules, monitor the
caseload of the court, keep court files and records, and maintain court
statistics. The clerk's office maintains a list of attorneys licensed to
practice in the state, processes the licensing of attorneys, and coordinates
the semiannual attorney admission ceremonies. The clerk also registers
and renews legal professional service corporations and associations, keeps
files of judicial financial disclosure statements, and serves as a public
information officer of the court. The clerk maintains offices in Chicago
and Springfield.
Supreme Court Caseload
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Filed Disposed
Marshal of the Supreme Court. The marshal attends all sessions of the court held in September,
November, January, March, and May. In addition, the marshal directs a staff which maintains the Supreme
Court Building and grounds, provides security for justices and employees, and conducts tours of the
building.
Reporter of Decisions. The reporter of decisions directs a staff which publishes opinions of the supreme
and appellate courts in the Official Reports. Employees also verify case citations; compose head notes,
attorney lines, tables of cases, topical summaries, and other materials appearing in the Official Reports; edit
opinions for style and grammar; and maintain the court's website for opinions of the Supreme and Appellate
Court (www.state.il.us/court).
Supreme Court Librarian. The supreme court librarian directs the operations of the library and the
acquisition of research materials which currently exceed 85,000 volumes. Library staff pro vide research and
reference assistance to the court. The library serves the court, the judiciary, other state government agencies,
attorneys, and the public.
Supreme Court Research Director. The supreme court research director supervises a staff of attorneys
who provide legal research and writing assistance to the court.
Supreme Court Chief Internal Auditor. The supreme court chief internal auditor and staff perform audits
of the state-funded activities of the judicial branch. In addition, internal audit annually assesses the
adequacy of internal controls for state-funded activities.
14
SUPREME COURT COMMITTEES
Standing committees of the court and chairpersons during 1999
Appellate Court Administrative Committee... Judge James A. Knecht, Appellate Court, Fourth District, Chair; Justice
S. Louis Rathje, liaison officer.
Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission. Jay H. Janssen, Esq., Chair; Justice Charles E. Freeman, liaison
officer.
Board of Admissions to the Bar... Joseph A. Bartholomew, Esq., President; Justice Benjamin K. Miller, liaison officer.
Committee on Jury Instructions in Civil Cases. ..Kurt N. Rodin, Esq., Chair; Michael T. Reagan, Esq., Reporter;
Justice S. Louis Rathje, liaison officer.
Committee on Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases. ..Sam Adam, Esq., Chair; Patrick J. Cotter, Reporter; Justice
Charles E. Freeman, liaison officer.
Committee on Character and Fitness... Alan Rosen, Esq., Chair (First Judicial District); Lamont L. Perington, Esq.,
Chair (Second Judicial District); Judge Stuart R. Lefstein, 21st Circuit, Chair (Third Judicial District); William F.
Costigan, Esq., (Fourth Judicial District); Robert E. Wells, Esq., Chair (Fifth Judicial District); Justice James D. Heiple,
liaison officer.
Committee on Professional Responsibility. ..William R. Quinlan, Esq., Chair; Professor John M. Breen, Loyola
University School of Law, Esq., Reporter; Justice Mary Ann G. McMorrow, liaison officer.
Judicial Mentor Committee... Judge JefferyW. O'Connor, Status Member (Chairperson of Chief Judges' Conference),
Judge Stephen M. Kernan, Status Member (Vice-Chairperson of Chief Judges' Conference).
Legislative Committee of the Illinois Supreme Court.. Judge Alan J. Greiman, Chair.
Planning and Oversight Committee for a Judicial Performance Evaluation Program.. Judge Robert J. Hillebrand,
20th Circuit, Chair.
Special Supreme Court Committee on Capital Cases. .Judge Thomas R. Fitzgerald, Chair.
Special Supreme Court Committee on Electronic Transmission of Data. Judge Stephen A. Schiller, Chair, Hon.
Darryl Pratscher, Vice-Chair.
Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Conduct.. Judge Ronald D. Spears; Justice Benjamin K. Miller, liaison
officer.
Supreme Court Rules Committee... Joseph A. Power Jr., Esq., Chair; Professor Keith H. Beyler, SIU School of Law,
Reporter; Justice James D. Heiple, liaison officer.
15
JUDICIAL CONFERENCE
U
P
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Coordinating Committee
Judge Robert E. Byrne
18th Circuit
Chair
During this conference year, the committee met with arbitration administrators and their
supervising judges to discuss topics related to arbitration practice. Following the meeting,
the committee drafted a proposed amendment to Supreme Court Rule 87(d) that would
allow circuits to determine procedures for filing oaths taken by arbitrators. The committee
also continued to oversee the court- sponsored pilot major civil case mediation programs
operating in six circuits, and began to study the feasibility of developing uniform rules and
practices for "family law" mediation in Illinois. Finally, the committee developed a
proposal for alternative dispute resolution training to be offered at the Education Conference
next year, and started work on a survey designed to elicit information on the numerous
court-sponsored ADR programs across the state.
E
U
T
Automation and Technology
Committee
Judge Grant S. Wegner
16th Circuit
Chair
Committee on Criminal Law and
Probation Administration
Judge Thomas A. Hett
Circuit Court of Cook County
Chair
Committee on Discovery
Procedures
Judge Dale A. Cini
5th Circuit
Chair
During this conference year, the committee assisted the Administrative Office of the Illinois
Courts (AOIC) in the preparation of a summary of its report on optical imagery, which was
prepared for the Administrative Director last year. In addition, the committee reviewed the
Judicial Branch web page developed by the AOIC for use by the Illinois judiciary and the
public. The committee also continued to monitor legislation relating to the Electronic
Commerce and Security Act (Public Act 90-759) and other acts which could affect court
technology.
During this conference year, the committee continued its review of community corrections.
The committee focused its attention on the Report on Community Corrections prepared by
the Committee on Probation of the Conference of Chief Judges. The Report provides a
detailed proposal for implementing the community corrections concept in Illinois, in the
form of an Illinois Community Corrections Model. The goals of a community corrections
program are to provide a less expensive and more effective means of dealing with many
non- violent offenders, to protect the public through effective community-based supervision
of offenders, and to prevent recidivism through rehabilitation of offenders. The committee
also considered two proposals for modification of Supreme Court Rule 604(d) in light of the
Evans and Clark line of cases.
During this conference year, the committee focused on the use of discovery depositions in
Illinois, including Illinois' use of discovery and evidence depositions. After receiving
information from various legal groups in response to a proposal eliminate discovery
depositions, the committee voted to retain the use of discovery depositions. The committee
also adopted proposals to broaden the use of discovery depositions and to place limits on
the discovery depositions of nontreating physicians.
Judicial Conference of Illinois, consisting of eighty-two judges, is responsible for suggesting improvements in the
administration of justice in Illinois. The Executive Committee, composed of the chief justice and fourteen members of the
Judicial Conference, reviews recommendations of the various committees and makes recommendations to the supreme court,
resolves questions of committee jurisdiction, acts on behalf of the Judicial Conference between annual meetings, and
performs other duties delegated by the supreme court. The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts serves as Secretary of
the Conference
16
COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES
During the year, the committee conducted a New Judge Seminar, eight regional seminars, six
mini-seminars, two court management programs, and a faculty development seminar. The
committee also obtained funding from the Illinois Department of Transportation to conduct a
special seminar on sentencing in DUI cases. In addition, the committee sponsored a special
seminar to train judges to serve as mentors in the New Judge Mentoring Program and sponsored
implementation of the final phase of the personal computer education program.
Committee on Education
Judge John A. Gorman
10th Circuit
Chair
During the year, the committee produced a second update to the third edition of the Illinois Study Committee on
Manual for Complex Civil Litigation, which incorporates recent changes to the law. The manual Complex Litigation
was produced in 1991 and revised in 1994 and 1997. This latest update discusses the impact Judge Phillip J. Rarick
of two supreme court decisions during 1998, includes changes in portions of the manual text Appellate Court, 5th District
affected by other case law development, and adds a section discussing the emerging topic of Chair
complex litigation over insurance coverage. The committee also drafted the first update
memorandum to the Illinois Manual for Complex Criminal Litigation, which discusses case law
developments over the previous two years.
The committee continued its commitment to educating Illinois judges on juvenile law issues
during this conference year. In December 1998, various committee members assisted in the
presentation of a two-hour program on juvenile law at the New Judge Seminar. In March 1999,
committee members also contributed to and served on the faculty of the Juvenile Law Seminar
which focused on abuse and neglect. In addition, the committee began the final phase of the
Juvenile Law Benchbook revision project. Revision efforts indicate a possible need to publish
the Benchbook as a two- volume set. If published as a two- volume set, the first volume would
be devoted to the topic of delinquency. The second volume would be devoted to abuse and
neglect.
Study Committee
on Juvenile Justice
Judge John P. Freese
11th Circuit
Chair
Members of the Executive Committee of the Illinois Judicial Conference During 1999
Chief Justice Charles E. Freeman, Chair
Joseph A. Schillaci, Secretary
Judith M. Brawka, Associate Judge, 16th Circuit
Fred S. Carr Jr., Circuit Judge, 21st Circuit
William Cousins Jr., Appellate Judge, 1st District
Rita B. Garman, Appellate Judge, 4th District
Albert Green, Circuit Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County
Miriam E. Harrison, Associate Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County
Thomas E. Hoffman, Appellate Judge, 1st District
William E. Holdridge, Appellate Judge, 3rd District
Daniel M. Locallo, Circuit Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County
Donald P. O'Connell, Chief Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County
Philip J. Rarick, Appellate Judge, 5lh District
William G. Schwartz, Circuit Judge, 1st Circuit
John P. Shonkwiler, Circuit Judge, 6th Circuit
17
Total Caseload *
All Case Categories
9,790
9,010
9,113
8,903
Total Disposed
Total Filed
xcept for those cases appealed directly to the supreme court, a
person has the right to request a review of a circuit court judge's
decision by the appellate court.
The appellate court is organized into five districts. The first meets
in Chicago, the second in Elgin, the third in Ottawa, the fourth in
Springfield, and the fifth in Mt. Vernon.
Hach district can have one or more divisions. There are six
J divisions in the first district and one in each of the other four.
The supreme court assigns judges to the various divisions. The
presiding judge of each division assigns judges to panels of three to
hear appeals.
The number of appellate court judgeships, currently fifty-two, is
determined by the legislature. The supreme court can assign additional
circuit, appellate or retired judges temporarily to any district.
udges are elected by voters in each district for ten-year terms,
and may be retained for additional ten-year terms. Each judge
Criminal Caseload
4,333
4,434
4,296
4,046
Disposed Filed
has a support staff of two law clerks and a secretary.
Each district manages its own operations, subject to the
overall authority of the supreme court. In the first district (Cook
County), an executive committee exercises general
administrative authority. This committee elects a chairperson
and vice-chairperson for one year. In the other districts, judges
select one of their members to serve as presiding judge for one
year.
Appellate Court Administrative Matters
Annual Meeting. Supreme Court Rule 22(e) provides for a
meeting of all judges of the appellate court. The appellate
court held its annual meeting in December with Judge Alan J.
Greiman presiding as chair. Forty-six appellate judges
attended the meeting. Justices Benjamin K. Miller, Michael A.
Bilandic, and Mary Ann McMorrow also attended. Pursuant
to amended section 1 5(e) article VI of the Illinois Constitution,
the Illinois Appellate Court selects two appellate judges to
serve as regular members and three appellate judges to serve as
alternate members on the Illinois Courts Commission. Judges
Thomas R. Rakowski and James A. Knecht were elected as
regular members. Judges Susan Fayette Hutchinson, Tom M.
Lytton, and Philip J. Rarick were elected as alternate members.
Judge Kent F. Slater was selected to be the next chair of the
Illinois Appellate Court.
Civil Caseload'
5,124
4,829
1 1 J 5,047
4,817
4,857
Disposed Filed
Administrative Committee. The Appellate Court
Administrative Committee, created by order of the supreme
court, studies and recommends methods by which the appellate
court might improve the processing of appeals. The committee
sponsored the 1999 Appellate Court Seminar. Forty-seven
judges attended the one and one-half day seminar.
Additionally the committee sponsored Law Clerk Seminars for
appellate law clerks. The one day seminars were well attended.
Further, the committee met during the year to consider various
matters and plan the 2000 Appellate Court Seminar. Members
of the committee include Judges James A. Knecht (Chair),
Robert P. Cahill, Richard P. Goldenhersh, Alan J. Greiman,
Joseph Gordon, Lawrence D. Inglis, and Judith E. Koehler.
Justice S. Louis Rathje served as the supreme court liaison.
18
* Totals include Industrial Commission Division Cases
Circuit: Circuit Court of
Cook County
District Population:
5,192,326 (1999 est)
FIRST DISTRICT
APPELLATE
JUDGES
DIVISION I
Margaret O'Mara Fossard*,
Presiding Judge
Michael J. Gallagher
Thomas R. Rakowski
John P. Tully
DIVISION II
William Cousins Jr.,
Presiding Judge
Joseph Gordon
Margaret S. McBride
Jill K. McNulty
DIVISION III
Robert Cahill,
Presiding Judge
Anne M. Burke
David Cerda*
Warren D. Wolfson*
DIVISION IV
Thomas E. Hoffman ++,
Presiding Judge
Shelvin Louise Marie Hall*
John N. Hourihane*
Leslie E. South
DIVISION V
Mary Jane Theis,
Presiding Judge
Alan J. Greiman *+
Allen Hartman
Patrick J. Quinn
DIVISION VI
Morton Zwick*,
Presiding Judge
Robert C. Buckley
Calvin C. Campbell
Sheila M. O'Brien
+ = chair ++ = vice-chair: Executive
Committee; *circuit judge assigned to
appellate court
160 North LaSalle St.
Chicago, IL (60601)
(312) 793-5600
Gilbert S. Marchman, Clerk
George Cenar, Research
Director
1995
1997
1998 1 |]
1999
^fflW^K;
Disposed
Filed
Civil Caseload*
State of Illinois Building
Completed 1 924; remodeled 1 992
(Holabird & Root/CDB photo)
Disposed
Filed
*Totals do not include Industrial Commission Division Cases
4,932
Total Pending Caseload
All Case Categories (including Industrial Commission Division Cases)
5,067 5,062
4,716
4,685
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
19
T
E
SECOND DISTRICT
55 North Street
Elgin, IL (60120)
(847) 695-3750
Loren J. Strotz, Clerk
Francis Lenski, Research
Director
APPELLATE JUDGES
John J. Bowman, Presiding Judge
Michael J. Colwell * Michael R. Galasso
Fred A. Geiger* Susan F. Hutchinson
Lawrence D. Inglis Robert D. McLaren
John W. Rapp Jr.* Robert R. Thomas
*circuit judge assigned to appellate court
Criminal Caseload
Disposed
_743
mTTTMITITlTnRes
III! Filed
Civil Caseload"
1,011
929
904
Disposed
Filed
*Totals do not include Industrial Commission Division Cases
Circuits (Counties):
15th (Carroll,
Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle,
& Stephenson)
16th (DeKalb, Kane,
& Kendall)
17th (Boone & Winnebago)
18th (DuPage)
19th (Lake & McHenry)
District Population:
2,782,013 (1999 est)
Second District Courthouse - Elgin
Completed in 1966 (C. Jane Bradley photo)
Total Pending Caseload
All Case Categories (including Industrial Commission Division Cases)
1,482
1,433
1440
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
20
THIRD DISTRICT
Circuits (Counties):
9th (Fulton, Hancock,
Henderson, Knox,
McDonough, & Warren)
10th (Marshall, Peoria,
Putnam, Stark, & Tazewell)
12th (Will) 13th (Bureau,
Grundy, & LaSalle)
14th (Henry, Mercer, Rock
Island, & Whiteside)
21st (Kankakee & Iroquois)
District Population:
1,585,531 (1999 est)
1004 Columbus Street
Ottawa, IL (61350)
(815) 434-5050
Gist Fleshman, Clerk
Gerald Ursini, Research
Director
APPELLATE JUDGES
William E. Holdridge,
Presiding Judge
Peg Breslin Thomas J. Homer
Judith E. Koehler** Tom M. Lytton
Kent F. Slater
** appointed to appellate court
Third District Courthouse - Ottawa
Completed in 1860 (Gist Fleshman photo)
Total Pending Caseload
All Case Categories (including Industrial Commission Division Cases)
938 956 965
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Criminal Caseload
529
526
458
480
468
Disposed
Filed
Civil Caseload4
Disposed
Filed
Totals do not include Industrial Commission Division Cases
FOURTH DISTRICT
Supreme Court
Building
Springfield, IL (62701)
(217)782-2586
Darryl Pratscher, Clerk
Shirley Wilgenbusch,
Research Director
APPELLATE JUDGES
Robert W. Cook, Presiding Judge
Rita Garman James A. Knecht
John T. McCullough Sue E. Myerscough
Robert J. Steigmann
Circuits (Counties):
5th (Clark, Coles,
Cumberland, Edgar,
& Vermilion)
6th (Champaign,
DeWitt, Douglas,
Macon, Moultrie, & Piatt)
7th (Greene, Jersey,
Macoupin,
Morgan, Sangamon,
& Scott)
8th (Adams, Brown,
Calhoun, Cass,
Mason, Menard,
Pike, & Schuyler)
11th (Ford,
Livingston, Logan,
McLean, & Woodford)
Jm
■ -'^^^inri^
Jfe";
8i"! 1'
Ikl
Fourth District - Supreme Court Building
Completed in 1908 (Robert McCracken photo)
Total Pending Caseload
All Case Categories (including Industrial Commission Division Cases)
855 855 838
911
District Population:
1,265, 113 (1999 est)
Criminal Caseload
Disposed
400
III 479
Filed
Civil Caseload*
Disposed
Filed
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
22
Totals do not include Industrial Commission Division Cases
FIFTH DISTRICT
Circuits (Counties):
1st (Alexander, Jackson,
Johnson, Massac, Pope,
Pulaski, Saline, Union, &
Williamson)
2nd (Crawford, Edwards,
Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton,
Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence,
Richland, Wabash, Wayne, &
White)
3rd (Bond & Madison)
4th (Christian, Clay, Clinton,
Effingham, Fayette, Jasper,
Marion, Montgomery, &
Shelby)
20th (Monroe, Perry,
Randolph, St. Clair, &
Washington)
District Population:
1,303,387 (1999 est.)
Criminal Caseload
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
14th & Main Street
Mt. Vernon, IL (62864)
(618) 242-3120
Louis E. Costa, Clerk
James Sanders,
Research Director
APPELLATE
JUDGES
Philip J. Rarick,
Presiding Judge
Charles W. Chapman
Richard P. Goldenhersh
Terrence J. Hopkins
Clyde L. Kuehn*
Gordon E. Maag
Thomas M. Welch
*circuit judge
assigned
to the
appellate
court
rifiiiiiniiinriTiTil
297
290
Fifth District Courthouse - Mt. Vernon
Completed in 1857 (John J. Flood photo)
Disposed
Filed
Civil Caseload"
520
| 539
Disposed Filed
Total Pending Caseload
All Case Categories (including Industrial Commission Division Cases)
889
856
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Totals do not include Industrial Commission Division Cases
23
The court of "original jurisdiction" is the
circuit court. There are twenty-two
circuits in the state, three of which are single
county circuits (Cook, Will, and
Du Page). The remaining nineteen circuits
contain two to twelve counties per circuit.
The circuit court can decide, with few
_ exceptions, any kind of case. The
exceptions are redistricting of the general
assembly and the ability of the governor to
serve or resume office. The circuit court
also shares jurisdiction with the supreme
court to hear cases relating to revenue,
mandamus, prohibition, and habeas corpus.
However, if the supreme court chooses to
exercise its jurisdiction over these cases, the
circuit court may not decide them. Finally,
the circuit court also reviews administrative
orders from certain state agencies.
There are two kinds of judges in the
circuit court: circuit judges and
associate judges. Circuit judges are elected
for six years, may be retained by voters for
additional six year terms, and can hear any
kind of case. Circuit judges are elected on a
circuit-wide basis or from the county where
they reside. In Cook County, circuit judges
are elected from the entire county or as
resident judges from each of the fifteen
subcircuits within the county. Associate
judges are appointed by circuit judges, under
supreme court rules, for four-year terms. An
associate judge can hear any case, except
criminal cases punishable by a prison term of
one year or more, unless the associate judge
has received approval from the supreme court to hear
other criminal cases.
Circuit judges in a circuit elect one of their
_ members to serve as chief circuit court judge.
Cases may be assigned to general or specialized
divisions by the chief judge who has general
administrative authority in the circuit, subject to the
overall administrative authority of the supreme court.
JUDICIAL CIRCUITS
CIRCUIT COURT ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
Conference of Chief Circuit Judges: The conference meets regularly
to consider problems relating to the administration of the circuit courts
and other matters referred to the conference by the supreme court. The
twenty-two chief judges are members of the conference. In 1999,
Jeffrey W. O'Connor, chief judge of the fourteenth circuit, was elected
to serve as chair and Stephen M. Kernan, chief judge of the twentieth
circuit, was elected to serve as vice-chair. The Administrative Office
serves as Secretary of the Conference.
Conference Committees: Article V Committee, Court Reporting
Committee; Juvenile Committee; Prison Committee; and Probation
Committee. Among the Conference's many activities during the year
were the approval of a traffic safety school program for Logan County;
continued monitoring of the impact of the federal mandates regarding
child support and extensive work on a Uniform Order for Child Support
by the Child Support Advisory Committee for statewide use. The Prison
and Juvenile Committees continued the work on a Judgement and
Sentence to Illinois Department of Corrections - Juvenile Division and
Order Revoking Stay of Adult Criminal Sentence for statewide use. The
Court Reporting Committee revised the Regulations Governing Court
Reporting Services and reviewed the newly created job descriptions for
the electronic court reporting operators (ERO's). The Article V
Committee began studying the effectiveness of mandatory attendance at
traffic safety programs by first-time violators and began exploring
additional methods for collecting unpaid fines and fees.
24
Civil Cases
Total Cases
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
608,120
617,655
642,938
626,695
640,257
633,659
737,557
643,167
677,640
636,557
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
4,048,638
4,300,836
4,117,153
| [ 4,390,047
3,983,546
4,328,169
4,106,522
1 1 4,455,668
3,966,753
| 4,191,154
Disposed
Filed
Disposed Filed
Juvenile Cases
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
^^^B
^^^B
^^^B
^^^B
^^^B
Felony Cases
40,905
1 1 47,142
43,573
43,781
42,861
39,003
42,867
37,933
43,826
091
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
84,640
89,565
85,506
84,044
95,582
86,466
89,020
89,759
85,947
85,559
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
CASE CATEGORIES
CIVIL: lawsuits for monetary damages; arbitration;
small claims (amounts up to $5,000); chancery (e.g., title
to real property and injunctions); miscellaneous remedy
(e.g., review of decisions of administrative bodies, habeas
corpus matters, and demolition); probate (e.g., estates of
deceased persons and guardianships); order of
protection (petition for order of protection filed separately
from an existing case); dissolution (e.g., divorce, separate
maintenance, and annulment); mental health (e.g.,
commitment and discharge from mental facilities);
eminent domain (e.g., compensation when property is
taken for public use); municipal corporation and tax
(e.g., matters pertaining to the organization of
municipalities and collection of taxes at the local level);
adoptions; family (e.g., proceedings to establish parent-
child relationship and actions relating to child support).
CRIMINAL: felony (e.g., a criminal case in which the
offense carries a penalty of at least one year in prison) and
misdemeanor. OTHER: ordinance, conservation,
traffic (excluding parking tickets), and DUI.
JUVENILE: abuse and neglect, delinquent, and
other(e.g.,aminor who requires authoritative intervention).
1999 Total Cases Filed
By Category
Felony
fl{ Traffic (exc. DUI)
f£3 Consv/Ordin
III DUI
^1H
423,965
181,405)
I 589,216]
Juvenile
~ Civil (exc. OP)
Misdemeanor
Order of Protection
25
CIRCUIT COURT
(First Appellate
i
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C
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Donald P. O'Connell
Chief Judge
2600 Daley Center
Chicago, IL 60602
Circuit Population
5,192,326 (1999 est)
Circuit Judges:
Martin S. Agran
Nancy J. Arnold
Peter Bakakos
Patricia Banks
Francis Barth
Ronald F. Bartkowicz
Carole K Bellows
Gerald C. Bender
Richard B. Berland
Andrew Berrnan
Robert W. Bertucci
Paul P. Biebel Jr.
Janice L. Bierman
Richard J. Billik Jr.
Patricia Martin Bishop
Robert V. Boharic
Michael B. Bolan
Everette A. Braden
Cynthia Brim
Philip L Bronstein
Rodney Hughes Brooks
Clarence Bryant
Henry A. Budzinski
Charles Burns
Edward R. Burr
Bernetta D. Bush
Diane Gordon Cannon
Thomas F. Carmody Jr.
Robert Lopez Cepero
Thomas R. Chiola
Evelyn B. Clay
Mary Ellen Coghlan
Judith Cohen
Melvin J. Cole
Sharon Johnson Coleman
Claudia G. Conlon
Maureen E. Connors
Jacqueline P. Cox
Clayton J. Crane
Wilbur E. Crooks
Robert E. Cusack
Michael F. Czaja
Daniel P. Darcy
Thomas M. Davy
David Delgado
Donald M. Devlin
Barbara J. Disko
Frank J. Dolan
Christopher J. Donnelly
David Donnersberger
Deborah M. Dooling
Loretta C. Douglas
Jennifer Duncan-Brice
Thomas P. Durkin
James D. Egan
Lynn M. Egan
Glynn J. Elliott Jr.
Richard J. Elrod
James R. Epstein
Timothy C. Evans
Candace J. Fabri
Thomas P. Fecarotta Jr.
Raymond A. Figueroa
Denise K. Filan
Thomas R. Fitzgerald
Kathy M. Flanagan
Thomas E. Flanagan
James P. Flannery Jr.
Philip A. Fleischman
John J. Fleming
Susan G. Fleming
Peter Flynn
Nicholas R. Ford
Lester D. Foreman
Allen A. Freeman
Raymond Funderburk
Rodolfo Garcia
Sheldon Gardner
Vincent M. Gaughan
James J. Gavin
Adrienne M. Geary
Francis W. Glowacki
Allen S. Goldberg
Francis X. Golniewicz Jr.
Robert E. Gordon
Leonard R. Grazian
Albert Green
Llwellyn L. Greene-Thapedi
Patrick S. Grossi
Susan Ruscitti Grussel
Catherine M. Haberkorn
Sophia H. Hall
Leo E. Holt
Vanessa A. Hopkins
Garritt E. Howard
Nathaniel R. Howse Jr.
Amette R. Hubbard
Cheyrl D. Ingram
Moshe Jacobius
Aaron Jaffe
Raymond L. Jagielski
Dorothy F. Jones
Rickey Jones
Sidney A. Jones III
Daniel E. Jordan
Edward R. Jordan
James J. Jorzak
Aubrey F. Kaplan
Paul A. Karkula
Themis N. Kamezis
Joseph G. Kazmierski Jr.
Michael R. Keehan
Daniel J. Kelley
Carol A. Kelly
Michael J. Kelly
James W. Kennedy
Kathleen G. Kennedy
Dorothy K. Kinnaird
John P. Kirby
Robert J Kowalski
Richard J. Daley Center
(Courtesy of the Chicago Architecture Foundation)
La Quietta J. Hardy
Marsha D. Hayes
Shelli Williams Hayes
Michael T. Healy
Curtis Heaston
James F. Henry
Thomas A. Hett
Ronald A. Himel
Michael J. Hogan
Thomas L. Hogan
Walter J. Kowalski
William G. Lacy
Bertina E. Lampkin
Joanne L. Lanigan
Diane Joan Larsen
Jeffrey Lawrence
Marjorie C. Laws
Marvin Leavitt
Leonard L. Levin
David G. Lichtenstein
Daniel M. Locallo
Gay-Lloyd Lott
Michele F. Lowrance
Stuart F. Lubin
Marvin P. Luckman
Daniel Lynch
Daniel J. Lynch
John K. Madden
William D. Maddux
William O. Maki
Marcia Maras
Veronica B. Mathein
Carol Pearce McCarthy
James P. McCarthy
Barbara A. McDonald
Susan J. McDunn
Patrick E. McGann
Janice R. McGaughey
Kathleen M. McGury
Paddy H. McNamara
Judy I. Mitchell-Davis
Anthony S. Montelione
Colleen McSweeney
Moore
John J. Moran Jr.
Dennis J. Morrissey
John E. Morrissey
Mary A. Mulhern
Lisa Ruble Murphy
Michael J. Murphy
Elliott Muse Jr.
Raymond Myles
Marya T. Nega
P. Scott Neville Jr.
Benjamin E. Novoselsky
Julia M. Nowicki
Thomas E. Nowinski
Stuart A. Nudelman
Donald J. O'Brien Jr.
Edward P. O'Brien
Denise M. O'Malley
James P. O'Malley
William P. O'Malley
William D. O'Neal
Frank Orlando
Stuart E. Palmer
Thomas P. Panichi
Kathleen M. Pantle
Sebastian T. Patti
William M. Phelan
Edward N. Pietrucha
Edmund Ponce de Leon
William P. Prendergast
Lee Preston
James S. Quinlan Jr.
Robert J. Quinn
Thomas P. Quinn
Ellis E. Reid
Ralph Reyna
James L. Rhodes
Barbara A. Riley
Daniel A. Riley
James G. Riley
Ronald C. Riley
Maureen Durkin Roy
James T. Ryan
Nancy S. Salyers
Richard L. Samuels
Leida J. Gonzalez Santiago
Drella C. Savage
Stephen A. Schiller
Kevin M. Sheehan
Nancy Drew Sheehan
Lon W. Shultz
Richard A. Siebel
Henry R. Simmons Jr.
Frank M. Siracusa
George J. W. Smith
James Fitzgerald Smith
26
OF COOK COUNTY
District)
Irwin J. Solganick
Cheryl A. Starks
David P. Sterba
Richard A. Stevens
Victoria A. Stewart
Paul Stralka
Jane Louise Stuart
Daniel J Sullivan
Sharon M. Sullivan
Fred G. Suria Jr
Donald J. Suriano
Shelley Sutker-Dermer
William Taylor
Lawrence Terrell
Mary Maxwell Thomas
Karen Thompson Tobin
Amanda S. Toney
Michael P. Toomin
Charles M. Travis
Edna M Turkington
John D Turner Jr.
Joseph J. Urso
James M. Varga
Kenneth J Wadas
Richard F. Walsh
John A. Ward
Mitchell Ware
Cyril J. Watson
Daniel S. Weber
Alexander P. White
Willie M. Whiting
Camille E. Willis
Gregory J Wojkowski
E. Kenneth Wnght Jr.
Stephen R. Yates
Anthony L. Young
Frank G. Zelezinski
Susan F. Zwick
Associate Judges:
Sam L. Amirante
Edward A. Antonietti
William J. Aukstik
Reginald H. Baker
Mark J. Ballard
Robert P. Bastone
Consuelo E. Bedoya
Helaine L. Berger
J. Martin Berry
Samuel J. Betar III
Adam D Bourgeois Jr.
Preston L. Bowie Jr.
William Stewart Boyd
Stephen Y. Brodhay
Michael Brown
Gary L. Brownfield
Dennis J. Burke
Eugene C. Campion
Joseph N. Casciato
Frank B. Castiglione
Donna L. Cervini
Timothy J. Chambers
Carl J. Cipolla
Joseph M. Claps
Gloria G. Coco
George W. Cole
Susan M. Coleman
Thomas J. Condon
Abishi C. Cunningham
Joy V. Cunningham
Noreen M. Daly
Ronald S. Davis
Frank DeBoni
Dennis A. Dernbach
Grace G. Dickler
John J. Divane
James G. Donegan
Richard E. Dowdle
James P. Etchingham
Fe' Fernandez
Edward M. Fiala Jr.
Howard L. Fink
Lawrence P. Fox
Nello P. Gamberdino
Sheldon C, Garber
Edwin A. Gausselin Jr.
Marvin E. Gavin
Francis A. Gembala
Daniel T. Gillespie
John B. Grogan
Gilbert J. Grossi
Perry J. Gulbrandsen
Marianne Jackson
Arthur L. Janura Jr.
Sandi G. Johnson-Speh
Jordan Kaplan
Pamela G. Karahalios
Nancy J. Katz
Richard A. Kavitt
Lynne Kawamoto
Carol A. Kipperman
Randye A. Kogan
Thaddeus L. Kowalski
Lambros J Kutrubis
Richard A. LaCien
Total Caseload
ill Filed
Pending Caseloads
60,987
1995 1996
3B Civil
Calvin H. Hall
R. Morgan Hamilton
Miriam E. Harrison
Earl B. Hoffenberg
Patricia B. Holmes
Ann Houser
John J. Hynes
1997 1998 1999
£2 Felony Juvenile
John G. Laurie
Mitchell Leikin
Philip S. Lieb
Neil J. Linehan
James B. Linn
Clarence S. Lipnick
Mark J. Lopez
Joseph M. Maceliaio
Thaddeus S. Machnik
Jeffrey A. Malak
John J. Mannion
Charles M. May
Brendan J. McCooey
Martin E. McDonough
William F. McGlynn
Brigid Mary McGrath
Clifford L. Meacham
Frank W. Meekins
Daniel R. Miranda
George M. Morrissey
J. Patrick Morse
James V. Murphy II
Michael J. Murray
Paul J. Nealis
Rita M. Novak
Gregory M. O'Brien
Thomas J. O'Hara
James M. Obbish
Ronald W. Olson
Jerome M. Orbach
Marcia B. Orr
Donald D. Panarese Jr.
Alfred J. Paul
Arthur C. Perivolidis
William G. Pileggi
Nicholas T. Pomaro
Michael J. Pope
Charles E. Porcellino
Dennis J. Porter
Joan M. Pucillo
Robert R. Retke
Jesse G. Reyes
Wayne D. Rhine
Elizabeth Loredo Rivera
Mary K. Rochford
Gerald T. Rohrer
Joseph H. Romano
James J. Ryan
Stanley J. Sacks
Marcus R. Salone
James M. Schreier
John J. Scotillo
Terrence V. Sharkey
Michael F. Sheehan Jr.
Karen G. Shields
Robert M. Smierciak
Susan Snow
John M. Sorrentino
Oliver M. Spurlock
James F. Stack
John O. Steele
Eddie A. Stephens
Michael W. Stuttley
Thomas R. Sumner
John D. Tourtelot
Thomas M. Tucker
John A. Wasilewski
Daniel G. Welter
LaBrenda E. White
Walter M. Williams
Gerald T. Winiecki
William S. Wood
Leon Wool
Willie B. Wright
Michael C. Zissman
27
c
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FIRST CIRCUIT
(Fifth Appellate District)
SECOND CIRCUIT
(Fifth Appellate District)
COUNTIES (seats):
Alexander (Cairo)
Jackson (Murphysboro)
Johnson (Vienna)
Massac (Metropolis)
Pope (Golconda)
Pulaski (Mound City)
Saline (Harrisburg)
Union (Jonesboro)
Williamson (Marion)
Michael J. Henshaw
Chief Judge
Williamson County
Courthouse
200 Jefferson Street
Marion, IL 62959
Circuit Population:
217,314
(1999 est)
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Circuit Judges: Donnie D. Bigler,
Mark H. Clarke, Ronald R. Eckiss,
Terry J. Foster, Donald Lowery,
Paul S. Murphy, George M. Oros, Phillip G. Palmer Sr.,
William G. Schwartz, Stephen L. Spomer, Bruce D. Stewart,
David W. Watt Jr., James R. Williamson Associate Judges: Rodney
A. Clutts, Kimberly L. Dahlen, Thomas H. Jones,
Everett D. Kimmel, John A. Speroni, William H. Wilson
Terry H. Gamber
Chief Judge
Jefferson County
Courthouse
P.O.Box 1197
Mt. Vernon, IU 62864
Circuit Population:
204,206
(1999 est)
COUNTIES (seats):
Crawford (Robinson)
Edwards (Albion)
Franklin (Benton)
Gallatin (Shawneetown)
Hamilton (McLeansboro)
Hardin (Elizabethtown)
Jefferson (Mount Vernon)
Lawrence (Lawrenceville)
Richland (Olney)
Wabash (Mount Carmel)
Wayne (Fairfield)
White (Carmi)
Total Caseload
Circuit Judges: Larry O. Baker,
David M. Correll, Larry D. Dunn, Don A. Foster,
David K. Frankland, Joe Harrison, Robert M. Hopkins,
Robert M. Keenan Jr., Loren P. Lewis, Charles L. Quindry,
Thomas H. Sutton, David L. Underwood, E. Kyle Vantrease,
James M. Wexstten Associate Judges: Kathleen M. Ailing,
Leo T. Desmond, James V. Hill, Stephen G. Sawyer,
George W. Timberlake
Total Caseload
! 47.039
40781 1
41,943^1
I
39,678 1
1
39,085 1
1 1
45,591
1995
1996 1997 1998 1999
i Filed Disposed
Pending Caseloads
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Filed Disposed
Pending Caseloads
1 7,887 [rfff
8,611
9,397 Irtt+eit6-16
J9£04
1995 1996
4ti Civil
1997 1998 1999
£2 Felony Juvenile
1995 1996
H Civi|
1997 1998 1999
£5 Felony Juvenile
28
THIRD CIRCUIT
(Fifth Appellate District)
COUNTIES (seats):
Bond (Greenville)
Madison (Edwardsville)
Circuit Judges:
Nicholas G. Byron,
Ann Callis,
John L. DeLaurenti,
Edward C. Ferguson,
Phillip J. Kardis,
George J. Moran Jr., P. J. O'Neill,
Charles V. Romani Jr.
Associate Judges:
Randall A. Bono,
Barbara L. Crowder, Ellar Duff,
Wendell Durr, James Hackett,
Clarence W. Harrison II, Robert P. Hennessey,
Lola P. Maddox, Lewis E. Mallott,
Daniel J. Stack
Total Caseload
A. Andreas Matoesian
Chief Judge
Madison County
Courthouse
155 North Main, #405
Edwardsville, IL 62025
Circuit Population:
276,589
(1999 est)
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Filed Disposed
Pending Caseloads
13,613
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
|H Civil g^ Fe'oriy Juvenile
Madison County
Edwardsville
Established in 1812, six years before Illinois became a state, the first court met
in the log cabin home of Thomas Kirkpatrick. A log cabin structure built in 1817
was the first permanent courthouse -- one with a dirt floor. The second
structure, referred to as the "Donation Courthouse" because materials and cash
were donated by 23 firms and individuals, was started in 1821 but not finished
until 1835. A two-story brick structure, it too had a dirt floor. Access to the
second floor was by a steep and rickety ladder. Although deemed "unsafe,
inconvenient, uncomfortable, and unworthy of the county," it was used until
1857. In that year, despite protests from taxpayers, the third structure was built
- a two-story brick building with a second-story balcony. An annex was built
next to the courthouse in 1891 . After voters defeated two bond issues to build
a new courthouse, and Granite City and Alton were competing with Edwardsville
for the county seat, a successful election in 1913 resulted in the building of the
present courthouse above. In June 1914, the cornerstone was laid and the
Honorable William F. Farmer, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Illinois delivered
the main address. Dedication ceremonies were held in October 1915. The
county is named after James Madison, the fourth President of the United States
who favored a strong central government over the Articles of Confederation.
(Madison County Historical Society photo)
Marshall County Courthouse
Lacon
In 1836, Columbia was renamed Lacon by early settlers drawing from the title
"Lacon or Many Things in Few Words by Rev. C.C. Colton, a book of
philosophical quotes that a settler brought to the name-selection meeting. In
1839, the state legislature created Marshall County, the state's twenty-first
county. The county is named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the
U.S. Supreme Court. The first courthouse, constructed in 1 840, was a two-story
brick building measuring fifty-five by forty feet and costing about $8,000. In 1 853
it was destroyed by fire and the second and present courthouse was built on the
same site. Both courthouses were built along the lines of the Metamora
Courthouse (now a historic site) in Woodford County. In the 1880's the four
columns were removed and years later an addition was built. The cupola seen
in this photograph from the early 1900's was removed in the 1940's. (Marshall
County Historical Society photo)
29
FOURTH CIRCUIT
(Fifth Appellate District)
i
COUNTIES (seats):
Christian (Taylorville)
Clay (Louisville)
Clinton (Carlyle)
Effingham (Effingham)
Fayette (Vandalia)
Jasper (Newton)
Marion (Salem)
Montgomery (Hillsboro)
Shelby (Shelbyville)
Michael R. Weber
Chief Judge
Montgomery County
Courthouse
120 N. Main St., #231
Hillsboro, IL 62049
Circuit Population:
247,809
(1999 est)
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Circuit Judges:
Richard H. Brummer,
John P. Coady, Patrick L. Duke, Patrick J. Hitpas,
Dennis M. Huber, Michael P. Kiley, Kathleen P. Moran,
David L. Sauer, S. Gene Schwann, Steven P. Seymour,
Ronald D. Spears Associate Judges: James R. Harvey,
Mark M. Joy, John W. McGuire, Dennis Middendorff,
Harold H. Pennock III, David W. Slater, Sherri L.E. Tungate
Total Caseload
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1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Filed Disposed
Pending Caseloads
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
ffl Civil r/j Felony Juvenile
FIFTH CIRCUIT
(Fourth Appellate District)
Richard E. Scott
Chief Judge
Edgar County
Courthouse
Paris, IL 61944
COUNTIES (seats):
Clark (Marshall)
Coles (Charleston)
Cumberland(Toledo)
Edgar (Paris)
Vermilion (Danville)
Circuit Population
182,799
('"9 est) Circuit Judges:
Claudia S. Anderson, Dale A. Cini,
Michael D. Clary, Robert B. Cochonour, Thomas J. Fahey,
James R. Glenn, Gary W. Jacobs, Paul C. Komada, John P. O'Rourke,
Tracy W. Resch, Ashton C. Waller Associate Judges:
H. Dean Andrews, James K. Borbely, Teresa K. Righter,
Joseph P. Skowronski Jr., Gordon R. Stipp
Total Caseload
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Filed Disposed
Pending Caseloads
12,171
■fc^_
10,183
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
JJ$ Civil 22 Felony Juvenile
30
SIXTH CIRCUIT
(Fourth Appellate District)
SEVENTH CIRCUIT
(Fourth Appellate District)
COUNTIES (seats):
Champaign (Urbana)
DeWitt (Clinton)
Douglas (Tuscola)
Macon (Decatur)
Moultrie (Sullivan)
Piatt (Monticello)
Circuit Population:
351,235
(1999 est)
Circuit Judges:
Arnold F. Blockman, Harry E. Clem,
John R. DeLaMar, Thomas J. Difanis,
Dan L. Flannell, John K. Greanias,
James A. Hendrian, Frank W. Lincoln,
Theodore E. Paine, Jerry L. Patton,
Stephen H. Peters, John G. Townsend
Associate Judges: Holly F. demons, Scott B. Diamond,
Ann A. Einhorn, Jeffrey B. Ford, Paul M. Francis, Chris E. Freese,
Michael Q. Jones, Heidi N. Ladd, Thomas E. Little,
Katherine M. McCarthy, Timothy J. Steadman
John P. Shonkwiler
Chief Judge
Piatt County
Courthouse
Room 306
Monticello, IL 61856
Thomas G. Russell
Chief Judge
Sangamon County
Complex
200 S. 9th Street
Springfield, IL 62701
Circuit Population:
318,408
(1999 est)
COUNTIES (seats):
Greene (Carrollton)
Jersey (Jerseyville)
Macoupin (Carlinville)
Morgan (Jacksonville)
Sangamon (Springfield)
Scott (Winchester)
Circuit Judges: Thomas R. Appleton,
J. David Bone, Donald M. Cadagin,
Thomas P. Carmody, James W. Day,
Robert J. Eggers, Patrick W. Kelley,
Joseph P. Koval, Ronald F. Robinson,
Dennis L. Schwartz, Leo J. Zappa Jr.
Associate Judges: Diane L. Brunton, Charles J. Gramlich,
Robert T. Hall, Roger W. Holmes, Theodis P. Lewis,
John A. Mehlick, Steven H. Nardulli, Tim P. Olson,
George H. Ray, Stuart H. Shiftman
Total Caseload
Total Caseload
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Filed j Disposed
Pending Caseloads
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Filed | Disposed
Pending Caseloads
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
|gj Civil 0 Felony Juvenile
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
J9 Civil 32 Felony Juvenile
31
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EIGHTH CIRCUIT
(Fourth Appellate District)
COUNTIES (seats):
Adams (Quincy)
Brown (Mount Sterling)
Calhoun (Hardin)
Cass (Virginia)
Mason (Havana)
Menard (Petersburg)
Pike (Pittsfield)
Schuyler (Rushville)
Robert L. Welch
Chief Judge
Adams County
Courthouse
521 Vermont St.
Quincy, IL 62301
Circuit Population:
146,224
(1999 est)
Circuit Judges:
Thomas L. Brownfield,
Dennis K. Cashman,
Richard D. Greenlief,
Alesia A. McMillen, M. Carol Pope,
Fred W. Reither, Michael R. Roseberry, Mark A. Schuering,
David K. Slocum, Scott H. Walden
Associate Judges: Mark A. Drummond
Diane M. Lagoski, Chet W. Vahle, John
Paul A. Kolodziej,
C. Wooleyhan
C
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Total Caseload
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Filed i Disposed
Pending Caseloads
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
:§] Civil r/j Felony Juvenile
NINTH CIRCUIT
(Third Appellate District)
William D. Henderson
Chief Judge
130 S. Fayette Street
Suite 30
Macomb, IL 61455
Circuit Population:
177,769
(1999 est)
COUNTIES (seats):
Fulton (Lewistown)
Hancock(Carthage)
Henderson (Oquawka)
Knox (Galesburg)
McDonough (Macomb)
Warren (Monmouth)
Circuit Judges:
Harry C Bulkeley,
Stephen G. Evans,
David R. Hultgren,
Stephen C. Mathers, James B. Stewart,
David F. Stoverink, Chellis E. Taylor, Ronald C. Tenold
Associate Judges: Steven R. Bordner, John R. Clerkin,
Richard H. Gambrell, Larry W. Heiser,
Gregory K. McClintock, Patricia A. Walton
Total Caseload
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
|i Filed Disposed
Pending Caseloads
5,968
t-t' ■ ■ tn 5 679 rrrt •
6,140
7,085 *
762
7,396 1
837
1995
1996
Civil
tt 6 g a TO,iWffP//>
179l^^J222|^^ ;f20lf^^
1997 1998 1999
^/ Felony Juvenile
32
TENTH CIRCUIT
(Third Appellate District)
COUNTIES (seats):
Marshall (Lacon)
Peoria (Peoria)
Putnam (Hennepin)
Stark (Toulon)
Tazewell (Pekin)
John A. Gorman
Chief Judge
Peoria County
Courthouse
324 Main Street, #215
Peoria, IL 61602
Circuit Population:
336,036
(1999 est)
Circuit Judges:
Robert A. Barnes Jr.,
John A. Barra,
Michael E. Brandt,
Donald C. Courson,
Richard E. Grawey,
Scott A. Shore, Joe R. Vespa
Associate Judges: J. Peter Ault, Erik I. Blanc, Stuart P. Borden
Glenn H. Collier, David J. Dubicki, Thomas G. Ebel,
Chris L.Fredericksen, Jerelyn D. Maher, Brian M. Nemenoff,
E. Michael O'Brien, Rebecca R. Steenrod
Total Caseload
1995
1996 1997
ITT1 Filed
1998 1999
Disposed
Pending Caseloads
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
fp: Civil £3 Felony Juvenile
McLean Law & Justice Center
Bloomington
McLean's first courthouse was established in 1 83 1 . The first courthouse was made of
whipsawn cherry and black walnut. In 1836, the people of the county expected an
economic boom as part of the great internal improvement schemes of that period. As a
result, a new courthouse was built. This courthouse was constructed as a Federal style
two-story brick courthouse. It was hauled away and used as a hog shed near Hudson,
Illinois, in the early 1900s. In 1 868, the Civil War brought new prosperity to McLean
County which resulted in the expansion of railroad service. The County decided that a
new courthouse was needed. Alfred Piquenard, a young French-born architect, was hired
to lead the project. Piquenard designed a courthouse reflecting classical European styles
of the Italian Renaissance. On June 1 9, 1 900, a fire badly damaged the 1 868 courthouse.
The day after the fire, the County appointed a special committee to oversee the
rebuilding of the courthouse. This building served as the McLean County Courthouse
until December 1 976. Finally in 1 977, the new Law and Justice Center was completed
and began serving as the current courthouse for McLean County.
Jo Daviess County Courthouse
Galena
If northerners had more votes in the 1827 legislature when the county was
established, the county might have been namedin honor of Ludlow, a naval hero
from New England. As it was. legislators from the south, a large number from
Kentucky, had more votes so the county is named for Joseph Hamilton Daveiss,
a lawyer from the same state who died at the Battle of Tippecanoe. The present
spelling has the "i" and "e" reversed due to a clerical error in the act passed by
the Kentucky legislature naming a county after him and copied in Indiana and
Illinois. County revenue was, until 1856, limited to taxes on taverns and
personal property; lots could not be sold to raise money since the U. S.
Government owned the land. Meeting in homes and renter/space including a
tavern and warehouse for the first eleven years; it was not until 1 838 that county
officials were able to purchase half of a stone structure (Hartig's Drug Store) to
use as a meeting place. In 1839 construction began on a Greek Revival
structure with four large columns in front. By July 1 845, Judge Browne was able
to hold court and dispose of eight criminal, two chancery, and seventy civil cases
in three weeks. In 1900, an addition to the front of the building replaced the
Greek Revival look. (Galena Historical Society photo)
33
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
(Fourth Appellate District)
COUNTIES (seats):
Ford (Paxton)
Livingston (Pontiac)
Logan (Lincoln)
McLean (Bloomington)
Woodford (Eureka)
Circuit Population:
266,447
(1999 est)
Circuit Judges:
Donald D. Bernardi, David L. Coogan,
Ronald C. Dozier, John P. Freese,
Harold J. Frobish, John B. Huschen,
Stephen R. Pacey, G. Michael Prall,
W. Charles Witte
Associate Judges: Donald A. Behle, William D. DeCardy,
Scott D. Drazewski, Charles H. Frank, Joseph H. Kelley,
Elizabeth A. Robb, James E. Souk, Randolph R. Spires
Luther H. Dearborn
Chief Judge
McLean County
Law & Justice Center
104 W. Front St., #511
Bloomington, IL 61701
TWELFTH CIRCUIT
(Third Appellate District)
Rodney B. Lechwar
Chief Judge
Will County
Courthouse
14 W. Jefferson, #439
Joliet, IL 60431
Circuit Population:
478,392
(1999 est)
COUNTY (seat):
Will (Joliet)
Circuit Judges:
Amy M. Bertani-Tomczak,
Herman S. Haase, Gerald R. Kinney,
William R. Penn, Stephen D. White
Associate Judges: Barbara J. Badger,
Raymond A. Bolden, Vincent J. Cerri,
John F. Cirricione, Thomas A. Dunn,
Thomas M. Ewert, Thomas Feehan,
Edwin B. Grabiec, Lawrence C. Gray, Kathleen G. Kalian,
Ludwig J. Kuhar Jr., Robert C. Lorz, William G. McMenamin,
Gilbert L. Niznik, Daniel J. Rozak, Martin Rudman
Total Caseload
Total Caseload
1995 1996 1997
1 1 1 Filed
1998 1999
Disposed
1995 1996 1997
HI Filed
1998 1999
Disposed
Pending Caseloads
Lg§°trrnTl~7787l. ■ iiTigJPAlrTnTf.!^hTnT.8r
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
^ Civil f/A Felony Juvenile
Pending Caseloads
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
|§ Civil 22 Felony Juvenile
34
THIRTEENTH CIRCUIT
(Third Appellate District)
COUNTIES (seats):
Bureau (Princeton)
Grundy (Morris)
LaSalle (Ottawa)
Circuit Judges:
Robert H. Adcock,
Marc Bernabei,
James A. Lanuti,
Louis J. Perona,
Cynthia M. Raccuglia,
Robert L. Carter
Chief Judge
LaSalle County
Courthouse
119 W.Madison, #204
Ottawa, IL 61350
Circuit Population:
182,784
(1999 est)
Howard C. Ryan Jr., Associate Judges: William P. Balestri,
William R. Banich, James L. Brusatte, A. Scott Madson,
Robert C. Marsaglia
Total Caseload
1997
Filed
1998
Disposed
1999
Pending Caseloads
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
fffj Civil ^ Felony Juvenile
Kane County Judicial Center
St. Charles
Kane County was established in 1836, with county business being
conducted initially at the home of James Herrington. By June 1838 the
first courthouse, a small frame building, was ready for use. In 1844, with
the population at 9,000, the second courthouse was built using stone, with
citizens providing much of the labor and money. The third courthouse,
designed by Chicago architect John Van Osdel, was finished in 1 857 when
the county s population reached 24,000. The two-story "architectural
monument" was made from limestone cut at local quarries. Thirty-three
years later it was destroyed by fire during a wind storm. By 1892, with the
population at 70,000, the fourth courthouse was built on the same site in
Geneva and is still in use today as a courthouse. The exterior consists of
limestone, red and chocolate brick, red sandstone, cut stone, and terra
cotta. The roof is slate and tin. The unique square dome rises over forty
feet above the rotunda. In 1993, the judicial center above, located in St.
Charles, was completed and occupied. The county is named for Elias K.
Kane, Illinois' first Secretary of State and a U. S. Senator.
I I
Iroquois County Courthouse
Watseka
The county was established in 1833. Two years later, the town of
Montgomery donated 20 acres of land for a permanent county seat at
what was platted as "Iroquois." That site was approved by a state-
appointed commission in 1 837. Since there were no Buildings at the site,
county officials met in rented space in Montgomery. Being so far from the
center of the county, citizens asked the legislature to relocate the county
seat to Middleport which had offered the county 52 lots. Middleport
became the county seat in 1839. The county's first courthouse, a two-
story brick building, was completed in 1847. In 1865, Middleport and
South Middleport were incorporated as Watseka. The Middleport
courthouse was abandoned and the second courthouse completed in
Watseka in 1866. Additions were made in 1881 and 1927. The third
courthouse above was completed in 1966, a gift to the county from one of
its life-long residents. Katherine Clifton, wife of William and stepdaughter
of Judge C.W. Raymond who was noted for his progressive farming
practices, bequeathed one-third of her five million dollar estate to the
people of the county to be used for a new courthouse. (Iroquois County
Historical Society photo)
35
FOURTEENTH CIRCUIT
(Third Appellate District)
c
i
COUNTIES (seats):
Henry (Cambridge)
Mercer (Aledo)
Rock Island (Rock Island)
Whiteside (Morrison)
C
u
I
T
Circuit Judges: Clarke C. Barnes,
Joseph F. Beatty,
Martin E. Conway Jr.,
Danny A. Dunagan, Lori R. Lefstein,
John D. O'Shea, Timothy J. Slavin,
Charles H. Stengel, Ronald C. Taber,
James T. Teros, Larry S. Vandersnick
Associate Judges: John L. Bell,
Thomas C. Berglund, Alan G. Blackwood, Michael P. Brinn,
Dennis A. DePorter, John L. Hauptman, John R. McClean Jr.,
Dana R. McReynolds, James J. Mesich, Vicki R. Wright
Jeffrey W. O'Connor
Chief Judge
Rock Island County
Courthouse
210 15th Street, #408
Rock Island, IL 61201
Circuit Population:
276,634
(1999 est)
C
O
u
T
Total Caseload
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Filed Disposed
Pending Caseloads
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
:£§ Civil ^ Felony Juvenile
FIFTEENTH CIRCUIT
(Second Appellate District)
William A. Kelly
Chief Judge
Carroll County
Courthouse
301 North Main Street
Mt. Carroll, IL 61053
Circuit Population:
173,719
(1999 est)
COUNTIES (seats):
Carroll (Mount Carroll)
Jo Daviess (Galena)
Lee (Dixon)
Ogle (Oregon)
Stephenson (Freeport)
Circuit Judges: Barry R. Anderson,
David T. Fritts, Charles R. Hartman,
Tomas M. Magdich,
Stephen C. Pemberton, John B. Roe
Associate Judges:
Charles T. Beckman,
Richard E. DeMoss, David L. Jeffrey,
Michael Mallon, John E. Payne,
Victor V. Sprengelmeyer, Theresa L. Ursin
Total Caseload
1995
1996 1997
Filed
1998 1999
Disposed
Pending Caseloads
1995
1996
Civil
1997 1998
^ Felony Juvenile
36
SIXTEENTH CIRCUIT
(Second Appellate District)
SEVENTEENTH CIRCUIT
(Second Appellate District)
COUNTIES (seats):
Dekalb (Sycamore)
Kane (Geneva)
Kendall (Yorkville)
Circuit Judges: F. Keith Brown,
John W. Countryman, Philip L. DiMarzio,
Patrick J. Dixon, James T. Doyle,
Douglas R. Engel, Donald J. Fabian,
R. Peter Grometer, Thomas E. Hogan,
Pamela K. Jensen, Gene L. Nottolini,
Barry E. Puklin, Timothy Q. Sheldon,
James M. Wilson Associate Judges:
Judith M. Brawka, Franklin D. Brewe,
James Donnelly, Wiley W. Edmondson, James R. Edwards,
Roger W. Eichmeier, Patricia Piper Golden, James C. Hallock,
Donald C. Hudson, Robert L. Janes, Kurt P. Klein, Richard J. Larson
Thomas E. Mueller, John L. Petersen, Mary Karen Simpson
Grant S. Wegner
Chief Judge
Kane County
Judicial Center
37 W. 777 Rte. 38,
#400A
St. Charles, IL 60175
Circuit Population:
543,274
(1999 est)
Michael R. Morrison
Chief Judge
Winnebago County
Courthouse
400 West State Street
Rockford, IL 61101
Circuit Population:
307,686
(1999 est)
COUNTIES (seats):
Boone (Belvidere)
Winnebago (Rockford)
Circuit Judges:
Gerald F. Grubb,
Janet R. Holmgren, Frederick J. Kapala,
Galyn W. Moehring, K. Craig Peterson,
Ronald L. Pirrello, Richard W. Vidal,
Kathryn E. Zenoff Associate Judges:
Rosemary Collins, Timothy R. Gill,
Patrick L. Heaslip, John Todd Kennedy,
Angus S. More Jr., Steven M. Nash,
Steven L. Nordquist, J. Edward Prochaska,
R. Craig Sahlstrom, Brian Dean Shore,
John R. Truitt, Steven G. Vecchio, Ronald J. White
Total Caseload
Total Caseload
1995
1999
Filed
Disposed
1995 1996 1997
111 Filed
1998 1999
Disposed
Pending Caseloads
Pending Caseloads
2,097
18,586
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
§| Civil j^j Felony Juvenile
1995
l
1996
Civil
1997 1998 1999
£2 Felony Juvenile
37
EIGHTEENTH CIRCUIT
(Second Appellate District)
NINETEENTH CIRCUIT
(Second Appellate District)
COUNTY(seat):
Du Page (Wheaton)
Thomas E. Callum
Chief Judge
DuPage County
Courthouse
505 N. County Farm Rd.
Wheaton, IL 60187
Circuit Population:
892,547
(1999 est)
Circuit Judges: Robert J. Anderson,
George J. Bakalis, Robert E. Byrne,
John W. Darrah, Edward R. Duncan Jr.,
Rodney W. Equi,
Ann Brackley Jorgensen,
Robert K. Kilander,
Ronald B. Mehling, Kenneth Moy,
Perry R. Thompson, Hollis L. Webster,
Bonnie M. Wheaton Associate Judges:
Kenneth A. Abraham,
C. Stanley Austin, Edmund P. Bart,
Joseph S. Bongiorno, Michael J. Burke, Kathryn E. Creswell,
Stephen J. Culliton, John W. Demling, Peter J. Dockery,
Thomas C. Dudgeon, Mark W. Dwyer, John T. Eisner,
William I. Ferguson, Nicholas J. Galasso, James W. Jerz,
Patrick J. Leston, Richard A. Lucas, Brian R. McKillip,
Jane Hird Mitton, Paul Noland, Cary B. Pierce, Kenneth L. Popejoy,
Thomas J. Riggs, Elizabeth W. Sexton, Terence M. Sheen,
Kenneth W. Torluemke, Eugene A. Wojcik
Total Caseload
Henry C. Tonigan III
Chief Judge
Lake County Courthouse
18 N. County St.
Waukegan, IL 60085
Circuit Population:
864,787
(1999 est)
COUNTIES (seats):
Lake (Waukegan)
McHenry (Woodstock)
Circuit Judges: Ward S. Arnold,
Bernard E. Drew, John R. Goshgarian,
Barbara Gilleran Johnson,
Raymond J. McKoski,
Margaret J. Mullen, Haskell M. Pitluck,
Sharon L. Prather,
Thomas A. Schermerhorn Sr.,
Charles F. Scott, Michael J. Sullivan,
Jane D. Waller, Stephen E. Walter
Associate Judges: Thomas F. Baker,
John D. Bolger, James K. Booras,
Terrence J. Brady, George Bridges,
Michael T. Caldwell,
Valerie Boettle Ceckowski, Joseph P. Condon, Wallace B. Dunn,
Helen Rozenberg Franks, Michael J. Fritz, Donald H. Geiger,
Gordon E. Graham, David M. Hall, E. Thomas Lang, Patrick N. Lawler,
Victoria L. Martin, Maureen P. Mclntyre, Gary G. Neddenriep,
John T. Phillips, John G. Radosevich, Victoria A. Rossetti,
Emilio B. Santi, Mary S. Schostok, Thomas R. Smoker,
Christopher C. Starck, Joseph R. Waldeck, Gerald M. Zopp Jr.
Total Caseload
1995 1996 1997
IE Filed
1998 1999
Disposed
1995 1996 1997
ID Filed
1998 1999
Disposed
Pending Caseloads
Pending Caseloads
19,392
15,585*
16,521
15,21 2 £
1 1 16 302 1
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Hj| Civil ££} Felony Juvenile
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
fj| Civil 0 Felony Juvenile
38
TWENTIETH CIRCUIT
(Fifth Appellate District)
COUNTIES (seats):
Monroe (Waterloo)
Perry (Pinckneyville)
Randolph (Chester)
St. Clair (Belleville)
Washington (Nashville)
Stephen M. Kernan
Chief Judge
County Building
10 Public Square
Belleville, IL 62220
Circuit Population:
357,469
(1999 est)
Circuit Judges: James W. Campanella,
Lloyd A. Cueto, Jan V. Fiss,
Jerry D. Flynn, Dennis J. Jacobsen,
Lloyd A. Karmeier, Robert P. LeChien,
Michael J. O'Malley, Roger M. Scrivner,
Milton S. Wharton
Associate Judges: Richard A. Aguirre, Walter C. Brandon Jr.,
Ellen A. Dauber, Annette A. Eckert, John M. Goodwin Jr., Dennis Hatch,
Robert J. Hillebrand, Scott Mansfield, Alexis Otis-Lewis,
James M. Radcliffe III, Stephen R. Rice, William A. Schuwerk Jr.,
Patrick M. Young
TWENTY-FIRST CIRCUIT
(Third Appellate District)
Kendall O. Wenzelman
Chief Judge
Kankakee County
Courthouse, Suite 101
450 East Court St.
Kankakee, IL 60901
Circuit Population:
133,916
(1999 est)
COUNTIES (seats):
Iroquois (Watseka)
Kankakee (Kankakee)
Circuit Judges:
Fred S. Carr Jr.,
Kathy S. Elliott,
Clark E. Erickson,
Daniel W. Gould,
J. Gregory Householter,
Gordon Lee Lustfeldt
Associate Judges:
Duane J. O'Connor,
Sheldon W. Reagan,
Susan Sumner Tungate,
David A. Youck
Total Caseload
Total Caseload
1995
1998
1999
Filed
Disposed
1995 1996 1997
Filed
1998 1999
Disposed
Pending Caseloads
1995 1996
ffl Civil
1997 1998 1999
23 Felony Juvenile
Pending Caseloads
12,415 |
12,585 ixrj 12,563 TCEEr
J 13,324 [fyd 13,373 I
758JF
999 rZ/F
1995 1996
ffl Civil
1997 1998
22 Felony
1999
Juvenile
39
The Executive Office ("Office"), which is comprised of the Administrative Director, attorneys and
administrative staff, is largely responsible for coordinating and facilitating Administrative Office staff
support for the Supreme Court, Supreme Court Committees and the Committees of the Illinois Judicial
Conference. The Executive Office, through the Administrative Director, is responsible for overseeing the
activities of all divisions of the Administrative Office and serves as the clearinghouse for all administrative
matters presented to the Office which may impact Illinois' judiciary. Administrative duties in the
Executive Office cover a broad range of responsibilities. Part of the Office's duty to the Supreme Court
involves the preparation of an administrative agenda for presentation during each of the Court's terms.
The Administrative Director, in collaboration with the Chief Justice and the Office staff, prepares the
agenda, distributes the materials to the Court, and presents the agenda items to the Court for its
consideration and determination. Agenda items approved by the Court for action are then implemented
by the Director through the Executive Office. Executive Office staff aid the Director in the administration
of certain Supreme Court Rules. Pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 39, which provides for the appointment
and reappointment of all associate judges, Executive Office staff conducts the election process for the
appointment and reappointment of Associate Judges. The Executive Office also processes applications
filed under Supreme Court Rule 295, which concerns the assignment of associate judges to felony
jurisdiction. The Office is further responsible for processing applications and issuing licenses under Rule
711 for law students seeking to provide limited legal representation. In addition, the Executive Office
processes all Rule 64 teaching certifications for judges throughout the state who intend to engage in
teaching activities. Additional matters which fall within the scope of the Executive Office's
responsibilities include securing legal representation, through the Office of the Attorney General, for
members of the judicial branch named in a case or controversy arising out of performance of their official
duties. Executive Office staff also negotiate, prepare, and manage office leases and contracts for the
Supreme Court and Appellate Courts, mandatory arbitration programs, and the Administrative Office. The
Office reviews and approves the form and substance of all vendor contracts generated by the
Administrative Office for use in contracting for goods and services. As a service to Illinois' judicial
branch, the Office provides for summaries of recent Supreme Court opinions which are distributed to every
judge in the state. Finally, the Office provides secretariat services to the Illinois Courts Commission,
including filing and preservation of the Commission records and performing all other duties typically
executed by a clerk of a court of record.
<j # *> O O 0-
The Administrative Services Division consists of four units that provide technical and support
services to the judicial branch: Budget, Vouchering, Payroll, and Human Resources. The Budget Unit
works closely with the Director of the Administrative Office to develop the judicial branch budget, as well
as to provide daily accounting of expenditures and projected operating costs. This unit also provides
procurement and inventory control, maintains contracts and leases, and carries out all other fiscal reporting
requirements. Ad hoc reports are generated concerning these and related services for the Director and
Supreme, Appellate and Circuit Courts and their support units. The Vouchering Unit processes all
payment vouchers for the Supreme Court, the Appellate Court, the state-paid functions of the Circuit
40
Courts, and the Administrative Office. At the conclusion of the most recent fiscal
year, the Administrative Services Division processed in excess of 47,200 payment
vouchers for the judicial branch. The Vouchering Unit also maintains all
accounting records for the expenditure of resources appropriated by the General
Assembly. The Payroll Unit maintains all payroll records for current state-paid
judicial branch employees and limited records of previous employees. The unit
works with the Office of the Comptroller in processing the payroll for over 2,200
current judicial branch employees. The Human Resources Unit provides
personnel services to the judicial branch employees by coordinating employee
benefit programs with the Department of Central Management Services. These
benefits include health, dental and life insurance, as well as workers'
compensation. The Human Resources Unit also works with judicial branch
employees and managers in administering the judicial branch classification and
compensation plan and the sick and vacation leave benefits.
O # <* <* <* O
The Court Services Division is involved in a wide range of activities and
projects affecting judges, circuit clerks, court reporters, and the judicial branch of
government generally. Ongoing responsibilities include staffing Supreme Court,
Judicial Conference and Conference of Chief Judges committees; production of
the Judicial Conference Report; and production of this report. The division also
provides ongoing legislative support services to the Supreme Court, and prepares
summaries of pending and enacted legislation for the chief circuit judges and
circuit clerks. During 1 999, division labor relations attorneys represented judicial
employers in collective bargaining in approximately 40 counties. Areas of
service to circuit clerks include guidance and technical support to the circuit clerks
and their staffs. During the year, relevant changes were made to the Manual on
Recordkeeping and the Manual on Fines and Fees. The Automated Disposition
Reporting Program was expanded to its present level of 56 counties. The division
also supplied merged jury lists, petit juror handbooks and grand jury handbooks
to the counties requesting them. Court reporting services activities in 1999
included conducting site visits to circuits, meeting with various vendors to
evaluate electronic court reporting systems, and the installation of digital
electronic recording systems in four counties in the State: DuPage (15
courtrooms), Saline (2 courtrooms), Randolph (2 courtrooms) and Jersey
(1 courtroom). In May, the Supreme Court filed Administrative Order M.R.
15956 with the purpose of facilitating a balanced program of appropriate use of
official court reporter and electronic recording equipment. The order authorized
the hiring of electronic recorder operators (ERO) to assist the Administrative
Office and the chief circuit judges in bringing about this balanced system. The
ADMINISTRATIVE
OFFICE
DIRECTORY
EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Joseph A. Schillaci, Director
Cynthia Y. Cobbs, Chief Legal Counsel
JUDICIAL EDUCATION
Patricia A. Rink, Assistant Director
CHICAGO OFFICE FOR COURT
SERVICES, JMIS, and
PROBATION SERVICES
222 North LaSalle Street, 13th Floor
Chicago, IL 60601
(312)793-3250
FAX (312) 793-1335
c
3Stfl?Lc]aN4i
d
EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Joseph A. Schillaci, Director
COURT SERVICES
Douglas D. Bowie, Assistant Director
JUDICIAL MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION SERVICES
Skip Robertson, Assistant Director
840 South Spring Street
Springfield, IL 62704-2618
(217)785-2125
FAX (217) 785-3793
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Kathleen L. Gazda, Assistant Director
900 South Spring Street
Springfield, IL 62704-2725
(217)782-7770
FAX (217) 785-91 14
TDD (217) 524-6428
PROBATION SERVICES
James R. Grundel, Assistant Director
816 South College Street
Springfield, IL 62704-2608
(217)785-0413
41
first ERO, who was also a licensed Certified Shorthand Reporter, was hired in November 1999. In order
to implement the Court's order, amendments to the Administrative Regulations Governing Reporters of
the Illinois Courts were necessary. The Administrative Director requested assistance on this task from
the Conference of Chief Circuit Judges through its Court Reporting Committee. During 1 999, the Illinois
Family Violence Coordinating Council started two new local councils and continued to develop its state
council projects: Domestic Violence Courts Report and Guidebook on Family Violence for Schools. The
division continued to facilitate the activities of the Circuit Court of Cook County to train and certify court
interpreters. Finally, the division assisted the Director in monitoring the progress of the repair and
renovation of state owned facilities used by the judicial branch. These facilities included the Supreme
Court Building in Springfield, the three court houses of the Second, Third and Fifth Appellate Districts,
and the Waterways Building in Springfield, which was being renovated for use by the Fourth District
Appellate Court.
# <t
#
The Judicial Education Division provides administrative oversight of continuing education
programs for over 900 judges and approximately 700 court personnel. The division staffs the
Committee on Education which, with Supreme Court approval, is responsible for planning all judicial
education programs sponsored by the Illinois Judicial Conference. In 1999, the division provided
administrative support to the faculty of 1 8 regional and mini-seminars, as well as the week-long
orientation seminar for new judges held each year in Chicago and the faculty development seminar
held each summer to help judicial faculty hone their teaching skills. Following Supreme Court
approval of the Comprehensive Judicial Education Plan in early 1999, the division assisted the
Committee on Education in implementing a number of projects enumerated in the Plan. One project
included assisting in the planning and development of Education Conference 2000, which all Illinois
Judges are expected to attend, scheduled for February and March 2000. Division staff also assisted in
developing the proposal for the Illinois Advanced Judicial Academy, a residential judicial educational
program scheduled for 2001 that is designed to revive the experienced judge's passion for the
administration of justice. The division also commenced maintaining records of judges' continuing
education hours in accordance with the Comprehensive Plan's recommendation that every judge attend
15 hours of continuing judicial education annually. In addition, division staff began researching the
use of distance education through audio and video conferences and on-line courses during 1999. The
division operates the Resource Lending Library which offers judges, through loans and contributions
to their personal libraries, videotapes, audiotapes, bench books from past seminars, and other
publications of interest on a wide variety of topics. The division also provides staff support to the
Judicial Mentor Committee, which is responsible for administering the New Judge Mentoring
Program. Working with the Court Services Division, the division plans and conducts training
programs for circuit clerks, official court reporters, and court administrators. Activities this year
included the annual Official Court Reporter Seminar held in the north, central, and southern regions of
the state, and a two-day seminar for trial court administrators and administrative assistants. In
addition, the division staffs the Oversight Board for Continuing Education of the Illinois Association
42
of Court Clerks which sponsored two full-day educational programs for circuit clerks and their staff. The division
also assists staff from other AOIC divisions throughout the year by providing meeting planning services.
*> <* <* O -0 <*
The Judicial Management Information Services Division (JMIS) provides computer technology to the
offices and staff of the Supreme and Appellate Courts, the Supreme Court support units, and all divisions within the
Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. The objective of the division is to introduce technology to improve the
procedures and efficiency to meet the needs of court personnel. JMIS responds to the needs of the judicial branch
for information processing by analyzing processes, designing applications and/or procuring computer technology,
leveraging existing investments with an overall goal of improving organizational benefits to office procedures.
JMIS also provides ongoing support and maintenance for computer hardware, software, and related equipment. In
1999, the Supreme Court continued to take an aggressive approach to remediating any Year 2000 issues, continued
improving the efficiency of the existing client/server platform supporting its case management systems, and
positioning the Court's infrastructure to take advantage of future statewide technology projects. The primary
objective is to improve the administration of the court system by improving the flow of information within the
Supreme, Appellate, and Circuit Courts as well as to the general public.
<><><><> <*■ -0-
The Probation Services Division provides services to chief judges and their probation staffs in all circuits.
The division sets statewide standards for hiring and promoting probation officers; maintains a list of qualified
applicants for probation positions; develops training programs for new and promoted probation officers; develops
and monitors operational standards for probation departments; monitors the development of annual plans in each
' probation department; gathers statewide statistics and publishes reports; and establishes standards for probation
department compensation plans. The division also develops and monitors innovative probation programs to
enhance the services and sanctions for offenders supervised in the community and to provide effective alternatives
to imprisonment. A priority for the division in 1999 was implementation of the Juvenile Justice Reform Provisions
of 1998 (Public Act 90-590), which became effective on January 1, 1999. This legislation represents a major shift
in state policy regarding juvenile delinquency. The legislature's intent to establish a "balanced and restorative
justice" approach to dealing with the problem of juvenile crime significantly impacts the state's juvenile justice
system. For probation, it changes the traditional focus from offender case management to one that promotes
partnerships with local communities to address public safety concerns, reparative sanctioning needs, and youth
competency development. The division provided extensive training and technical assistance in the implementation
of this new model, and administered new funding resources appropriated for the expansion of juvenile probation
and detention programs prioritized by the reform provisions.
43
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